Efficacy and safety of early supplementation with 800 IU of vitamin D in very preterm infants followed by underlying levels of vitamin D at birth

Sang Yeun Cho; Hyun-Kyung Park; Hyun Ju Lee

doi:10.1186/s13052-017-0361-0

Efficacy and safety of early supplementation with 800 IU of vitamin D in very preterm infants followed by underlying levels of vitamin D at birth

Ital J Pediatr. 2017 May 4;43(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s13052-017-0361-0.

Authors

Sang Yeun Cho¹, Hyun-Kyung Park¹, Hyun Ju Lee²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Seoul Hospital, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-792, South Korea.
² Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Seoul Hospital, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-792, South Korea. blesslee77@hanyang.ac.kr.

Abstract

Background: To determine the efficacy and safety of early supplementation with 800 IU of vitamin D in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Methods: Sixty-six infants with a birth weight less than 1500 g admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Of these, 52 infants were eligible and received 800 IU/day vitamin D from 2 weeks of age. We examined 25-hydroxyvitamin-D (25[OH]D) levels from cord blood at birth and serum at 32 and 36 weeks of postmenstrual age.

Results: The study infants were divided by cord-blood levels of 25(OH)D at birth into 25(OH)D concentrations < 10 ng/mL (n = 20) or ≥ 10 ng/mL (n = 29). Vitamin D intake of 800 IU/day safely achieved an 88% probability of vitamin D sufficiency at 36 weeks postmenstrual age in VLBW infants with cord-blood levels of 25(OH)D ≥ 10 ng/mL, and 65% probability of vitamin D sufficiency was observed in infants with 25 OHD concentrations < 10 ng/mL at birth.

Conclusion: Considering the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation in this study, vitamin D intake of 800 IU/day may enhance vitamin D status during early hospitalization in VLBW infants with 25 OHD concentrations < 10 ng/mL at birth. The clinical significance of optimal vitamin D intake in VLBW infants needs to be studied in larger controlled studies.

Keywords: DXA; Follow-up; Premature infants; Supplementation; Vitamin D.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Chi-Square Distribution
Child Development / physiology*
Cohort Studies
Drug Administration Schedule
Female
Fetal Blood / metabolism
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Male
Patient Safety
Prospective Studies
Risk Assessment
Treatment Outcome
Vitamin D / administration & dosage
Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
Vitamin D Deficiency / diagnosis*
Vitamin D Deficiency / drug therapy*

Substances

Vitamin D
25-hydroxyvitamin D