TABLE 4.
Serum carotenoids and additional vitamin A indicators from a representative subsample of women and children in the 2015–2016 Malawi Micronutrient Survey1
| PSC (n = 171)1 | SAC (n = 178)1 | Nonpregnant WRA (n = 191)1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median (Q1, Q3) | Min, Max | Median (Q1, Q3) | Min, Max | Median (Q1, Q3) | Min, Max | |
| Retinol, µmol/L | 1.0 (0.8, 1.2) | 0.4, 1.9 | 1.2 (0.9, 1.4) | 0.4, 2.6 | 1.6 (1.3, 1.9) | 0.4, 2.9 |
| Retinyl esters among fasted, µmol/L | 0.03 (0.01, 0.05) | 0.0, 0.3 | 0.04 (0.02, 0.06) | 0.0, 0.3 | 0.02 (0.01, 0.05) | 0.0, 0.3 |
| Retinyl esters among nonfasted, µmol/L | 0.04 (0.02, 0.08) | 0.0, 0.4 | 0.05 (0.02, 0.08) | 0.0, 0.4 | 0.04 (0.02, 0.07) | 0.0, 0.4 |
| Total circulating retinol as retinyl esters among fasted, % | 2.9 (1.5, 4.7) | 0.0, 22.9 | 3.0 (1.6, 4.5) | 0.0, 16.5 | 1.6 (0.8, 3.1) | 0.0, 15.7 |
| Total circulating retinol as retinyl esters among nonfasted, % | 4.2 (1.7, 8.3) | 0.0, 35.8 | 3.5 (2.1, 5.7) | 0.0, 40.4 | 2.1 (1.3, 4.2) | 0.5, 21.2 |
| Lycopene, µmol/L | 0.02 *** (0.004, 0.03) | 0.0, 0.1 | 0.03 *** (0.0, 0.06) | 0.0, 1.2 | 0.04 *** (0.02, 0.07) | 0.0, 0.2 |
| α-carotene, µmol/L | 0.01 ** (0.01, 0.02) | 0.0, 0.8 | 0.03 ** (0.02, 0.05) | 0.0, 1.0 | 0.03 ** (0.02, 0.05) | 0.0, 1.7 |
| β-carotene, µmol/L | 0.24 *** (0.12, 0.48) | 0.0, 2.3 | 0.75 *** (0.42, 1.26) | 0.02, 4.6 | 0.69 *** (0.38, 1.15) | 0.0, 4.2 |
| Lutein and zeaxanthin, µmol/L | 0.46 *** (0.29, 0.72) | 0.03, 2.3 | 0.66 *** (0.40, 1.09) | 0.07, 2.6 | 0.65 *** (0.38, 1.04) | 0.0, 2.3 |
| β-cryptoxanthin, µmol/L | 0.08 *** (0.05, 0.14) | 0.01, 0.7 | 0.13 *** (0.08, 0.21) | 0.02, 0.7 | 0.12 *** (0.08, 0.17) | 0.0, 1.0 |
| RBP, µmol/L | 0.9 (0.7, 1.1) | 0.4, 1.9 | 1.05 (0.84, 1.26) | 0.52, 2.20 | 1.41 (1.13, 1.70) | 0.27, 2.59 |
| MRDR ratio | 0.012 (0.006, 0.021) | 0.003, 0.052 | 0.010 (0.007, 0.014) | 0.001, 0.047 | 0.008 (0.005, 0.012) | 0.002, 0.137 |
1
Sample size for MRDR and retinyl esters, fasted: n = 73 PSC, 80 SAC, 94 WRA and nonfasted: n = 98 PSC, 98 SAC, 97 WRA. MRDR did not include nonfasted individuals. Biomarker concentrations were compared across population groups using the median test, controlling for cluster, strata and weight. ***P < 0.0001; **P = 0.0005. BRINDA, Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia; Q, quartile; MRDR, modified relative dose response; PSC, preschool age children; RBP, retinol binding protein; SAC, school age children; WRA, women of reproductive age.