Correction of micronutrient status of the Irkutsk region population as a means of lowering infant mortality

Abstract

Aim: to establish a link between the level of folic acid, vitamin D and iodine consumption, and infant and perinatal mortality, morbidity of childhood tuberculosis in the Irkutsk region. Consumption of folate in the form of a single-agent preparation increased 3 times in 5 years. Consumption of folic acid in women at the stage of preconception and pregnancy affected the reduction of perinatal (R = -0.9; p = 0.016) and infant (R = -0.89; p = 0.04) mortality, including neonatal (R = -0.89; p = 0.039). Preventive supplementation of vitamin D of people in the region over the past 5years has increased by 70 %, and infant mortality fell by 35.5 %. Infant (R = -0.94; p = 0.01) and especially post-neonatal (R = -0.97; p = 0.004) mortality are controllable and depend on the prevention of hypovitaminosis D. The understanding of the role of vitamin D in triggering the synthesis of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin opens prospects for using it as a medicine for prevention and treatment of childhood tuberculosis. The incidence of pediatric tuberculosis in the region during this period decreased by 46 % (R = -0.95; p = 0.01). Correction of iodine deficiency in pregnant women and children caused the reduction of perinatal (R = -0.99; p = 0.07), early neonatal (R = -0.99; p = 0.05), neonatal (R = -0.98; p = 0.06) and post-neonatal (R = -0.99; p = 0.002) infant mortality.