Vitamin A Supplementation for Prevention and Treatment of Malaria during Pregnancy and Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Animal studies have shown that vitamin A plays a role in immunity and protection against infectious diseases. Its role reducing incidence of diarrhea and measles, and childhood mortality is known, but its role in relation to malaria is unclear. Thus, a comprehensive, systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed and Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the role of vitamin A during pregnancy and childhood for prevention and treatment of malaria. A total of 107 titles/abstracts were identified, of which 15 articles (11 studies) were selected for final inclusion. Based on the meta-analysis, vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy had no benefit for placental infection (relative risk = 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.95–1.25; fixed effects, I(2) = 0; 2 RCTs). Similarly, there was no effect on peripheral parasitemia or episodes of new clinical malaria. Preventive vitamin A supplementation in children younger than 5 years did not reduce the incidence of peripheral parasitemia or malaria mortality (latter rate ratio = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.07–3.26; random effects, I(2) = 72%, 2 RCTs). Vitamin A as an adjunct treatment for cerebral or severe malaria in children did not have benefit on survival, fever resolution time, parasite clearance time, or incidence of neurological or other complications. Vitamin A has no benefit for malarial infection either as prevention or treatment in pregnancy or childhood based on RCT evidence.