Objective    To study the correlation of vitamin A (VA) with  hemoglobin (Hb) and erythropoietin (EPO) levels in preschool children of Banan district of Chongqing

and the mechanism underlying the correlation between VA deficiency and anemia.     Methods    A total of 349 preschool children meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly recruited from 3 kindergartens in Banan district of

Chongqing. Serum VA

EPO

and Hb levels were measured by highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

chemiluminescent immunoassay

and cyanmethemoglobin determination method

respectively

and their correlation was analyzed.     Results    The rate of VA deficiency

suspicious sub-clinical VA deficiency and anemia was 1.72%

22.64%

and 22.64%

respectively

in preschool children of Banan district of Chongqing (P0.05). The incidence of anemia was 2.32-fold higher in children with a lower VA level than in those with a normal VA level. The EPO level was significantly higher in children with anemia than in those without anemia (P0.05). The Hb level was negatively correlated with the EPO level in children with anemia (r=-0.46

P0.05). Log

10

regression equation showed that the slope of VA increased by 0.000 2 compared with normal VA.      Conclusion    VA level can influence the feedback regulatory effect of Hb on EPO level.