Oral versus intramuscular vitamin A in the treatment of xerophthalmia

Sommer et al., 1980 | Lancet | Rct

Citation

Sommer A, Muhilal, ... Glover J. Oral versus intramuscular vitamin A in the treatment of xerophthalmia. Lancet. 1980-Mar-15;1(8168 Pt 1):557-9

Abstract

In a controlled trial 69 children with corneal xerophthalmia were given 200 000 IU oil-miscible vitamin A by mouth and a matched group of 45 children were given 100 000 IU water-miscible vitamin A intramuscularly. Both groups received an additional oral dose the next day. There was no detectable difference in the clinical response to the two regimes, even when analysis was limited to patients with concomitant diarrhoea or protein-energy malnutrition. Although serum-vitamin-A levels were significantly higher after parenteral than oral therapy, holoretinol-binding-protein levels were not. Oral administration of vitamin A is not only more practical but appears to be just as effective as parenteral administration in the treatment of severe xerophthalmia.

Key Findings

Oral administration of vitamin A is not only more practical but appears to be just as effective as parenteral administration in the treatment of severe xerophthalmia.

Outcomes Measured

Requires manual extraction

Population

Field	Value
Population	concomitant diarrhoea or protein
Sample Size	See abstract
Age Range	See abstract
Condition	See abstract

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Child
Child, Preschool
Diarrhea, Infantile
Humans
Infant
Injections, Intramuscular
Intestinal Absorption
Protein-Energy Malnutrition
Vitamin A
Xerophthalmia

Evidence Classification

Level: Rct
Publication Types: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial
Vertical: vitamin-a-vision

Provenance

PMID: 6102284
DOI: (not available)
PMCID: Not in PMC
Verified: 2026-04-09 via PubMed E-utilities API

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09