Table 1

Major community mortality prevention trials

StudyCountryVitamin A supplementReported mortality reduction (%)1-150 Primary reference
AcehIndonesiaLarge dose every six months341-151 Sommeret al 2
BogorIndonesiaVitamin A fortified monosodium glutamate45Muhilal et al 10
NNIPSNepalLarge dose every four months30West et al 11
JumlaNepalOne large dose, follow up at five months29Daulaire et al 12
Tamil NaduIndiaWeekly moderate dose54Rahmathullah et al 15
HyderabadIndiaLarge dose every six months6 (not SS)1-152 Vijayaraghavan et al 13
KhartoumSudanLarge dose every dix months(+6; not SS)Herrera et al 16
VASTGhanaLarge dose every four months19Ghana VAST Study Team14
  • 1-150 6 months and older at baseline (1 year or older if younger children not reported separately).

  • 1-151 Alternative analyses suggest at least 40 to > 50%.

  • 1-152 As calculated from data in their publication, but not reported as such.9

  • SS = statistically significant (p < 0.01).

  • Reprinted with permission from Sommer A, West KP. Vitamin A deficiency: health, survival, and vision. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.