Vitamin AD Drops are More Effective than Intramuscular Injection of Thymosin in Reducing the Rate of Growth Retardation in Children

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of vitamin AD drops on growth retardation in children. METHODS: From February 2020 to February 2021, 100 children with constipation and recurrent respiratory infections treated in our hospital were assigned to a vitamin AD drops group and intramuscular thymosin group, with 50 cases in each group. Outcome measures included mean height, body mass index (BMI), frequency of respiratory infections, increase in height and BMI, growth retardation, clinical effectiveness, immune function, medication compliance, and adverse responses. RESULTS: The vitamin AD drops group showed higher mean height (t = 5.958, P < 0.05), greater body mass (t = 3.997, P < 0.05), and less frequency of respiratory infections than the intramuscular thymosin group (t = 26.564, P < 0.05). The vitamin AD drops group resulted in a lower ratio of height increase of >1 cm and a higher ratio of >2 cm as compared with the intramuscular thymosin group (χ(2) = 8.167, P < 0.05). The vitamin AD drops group showed a lower ratio of weight gain of 0 and > 1 kg and a higher ratio of >2 kg versus the intramuscular thymosin group (χ(2) = 4.058, P < 0.05). Vitamin AD drops resulted in a significantly lower growth retardation rate than intramuscular thymosin administration (χ(2) = 5.530, P < 0.05). The vitamin AD drops group yielded markedly higher treatment efficiency in contrast to the intramuscular thymosin group (Z = 2.111, P < 0.05). The levels of CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+, CD4/CD8, IgA, IgG, and IgM in the two groups of patients after medication were higher than those before medication (P < 0.05), with higher levels in the vitamin AD drops group compared with the intramuscular thymosin group (P < 0.05). The vitamin AD drops group showed remarkably higher medication compliance in patients versus the intramuscular thymosin group (Z = 2.239, P < 0.05). The vitamin AD drops group experienced a significantly lower incidence of adverse reactions (χ(2) = 4.396, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Vitamin AD drops are more effective than the intramuscular injection of thymosin in reducing the incidence of growth retardation in children.