The effect of vitamin D administration on vitamin D status and respiratory morbidity in late premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether increment of vitamin D daily intake results in improved serum25(OH) vitamin D levels and reduced respiratory morbidity in premature infants. METHODS: A randomized double-blind clinical pilot trial, including preterm infants born at 32 + 6 to 36 + 6 weeks of gestation. The control group received 400 international units (IU) of cholecalciferol daily compared to 800 IU daily in the intervention group. Levels of 25(OH) vitamin D were measured at birth and 6 and 12 months of age. Respiratory morbidity was followed until 1 year of age. RESULTS: Fifty subjects were recruited during the study period; the median measured 25(OH) vitamin D levels in the control vs intervention groups were: 26.5 vs 34 nmol/L (P = .271) at birth, 99 vs 75.5 nmol/L (P = .008) at 6 months and 72.5 vs 75 nmol/L (P = .95) at 12 months of age. Infants with insufficient vitamin D (<75 nmol/L) levels had higher respiratory morbidity. Serum vitamin 25(OH) D is a fair predictor for respiratory symptoms (area under the curve [AUC], 0.697; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.509-0.885; P = .047) and for recorded acute respiratory illnesses (AUC, 0.745; 95% CI, 0.569-0.922; P = .012). CONCLUSION: Doubling the daily intake of vitamin D in premature infants did not increase serum 25(OH) vitamin D level, due to poor compliance in the intervention group. We found an inverse association between serum 25(OH) vitamin D and respiratory symptoms, indicating vitamin D deficiency is a fair predictor for respiratory morbidity.

Early neonatal morbidities and associated modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors in a cohort of infants born at 34-35 weeks of gestation.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the most common early morbidities in a cohort of infants born at 34-35 weeks gestation and to identify the risk factors associated with these morbidities. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of data collected prospectively for all 235 infants born at 34-35 weeks of gestation during an eight-month period at a single tertiary medical center. Study group infants (SG) were compared with 470 term infants (TI), matched both for gender and for mode of delivery. RESULTS: Jaundice requiring phototherapy (32%), respiratory disease (19.1%) and cyanotic episodes (15.7%) were the most frequent early morbidities, followed by hypoglycemia, temperature instability and feeding intolerance. The risk of having a complication was 13.3-times higher in the SG compared with the TI group (95% CI 8.9-19.6, p < 0.001). Modifiable interventions associated with these morbidities were antenatal steroids, MgSO4 and mode of delivery. Non-modifiable factors were maternal age, parity, twins and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Jaundice requiring phototherapy, respiratory disease and cyanotic episodes are the most frequent early morbidities among infants born at 34-35 weeks. Medically modifiable factors were found to be associated with the above morbidities. Whether specific recommendations for the care of these infants will affect early morbidities needs to be studied in controlled prospective studies.