Hepatic retinol levels in individuals deceased from several causes

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the present work is to evaluate the hepatic retinol levels in individuals deceased from several causes in the municipal district of Rio de Janeiro.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted at Instituto Medico Legal (IML/RJ) by researching 236 necropsied individuals from several causes, at the age between 1 and 89, whose samples of the liver were obtained through necropsies up to 48 hours post morten. The determination of the hepatic levels of retinol was performed through the spectrofotometrical dosage. As a cut‐off point for vitamin A deficiency (VAD) was considered 20 μg g⁻¹ of the hepatic tissue.

Findings

The mean retinol hepatic reserve evaluated according to the causa mortis was 281.55 μg per gram in subjects died from violent death, significantly higher than in other causa mortis (165.67 μg per gram in coronary heart disease, 226.89 μg per gram in infectious disease, 121.27 μg per gram in other chronic diseases and 214.87 μg per gram in other diseases, p<0.05). A prevalence of low hepatic retinol levels was found in 11 per cent of subjects died from other causes. In fact, lower levels were observed in infectious and coronary heart disease groups. On the other hand, low levels of hepatic retinol were not found in subjects died from violent death.

Originality/value

The data do support that healthy subjects were not included in the risk group for VAD. These results may direct appropriate actions and special efforts to improve the nutritional status of vitamin A in the risk groups, specifically in infectious and coronary heart diseases.

Citation

Andréa Ramalho, R., Paes, C.A., Flores, H., Lento, D.F. and Accioly, E. (2006), "Hepatic retinol levels in individuals deceased from several causes", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 240-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346650610676811