Role of conjunctival imprint cytology in detecting vitamin A deficiency in cancer patients: A case-control study

Context: Conjunctival Imprint cytology is widely used to detect vitamin A deficiency in field studies. Vitamin A deficiency is known to be associated with malignancies. Aims: To assess the vitamin-A status in cancer patients using conjunctival impression cytology technique (CICT) and to correlate the results with serum levels of the vitamin. Settings and Design: To study CICT in freshly detected cancer patients. To compare with normal controls, and to correlate the results obtained by the cytology technique with a serum retinol by HPLC method. Materials and Methods: Patients and their family members accompanying the patients were taken as subjects for the study and after an informed consent. Conjunctival imprint cytology samples and venous blood for serum retinol were collected from both groups. Statistical Analysis Used: Odds ratio, Pearson Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, analysis of variable, independent and dependent sample t test, mean and standard deviation. Data: Of 1551 subjects analyzed, vitamin A level Conclusions: CICT is a reliable technique to detect vitamin A deficiency in cancer patients.