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. 2020 Jan;55(1):108-115.
doi: 10.1002/ppul.24552. Epub 2019 Dec 9.

Vitamin D status in preterm neonates and the effects of its supplementation on respiratory distress syndrome

Mohammed Al-Beltagi  1 , Mohamed Rowiesha  1 , Abdelrahman Elmashad  1 , Shymaa M Elrifaey  1 , Hemat Elhorany  2 , Hassan Gamal Koura  1
Affiliations

Vitamin D status in preterm neonates and the effects of its supplementation on respiratory distress syndrome

Mohammed Al-Beltagi et al. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2020 Jan.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the status and effects of vitamin D supplement as adjuvant therapy in the management of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants.

Patient and methods: Vitamin D was prospectively studied in 196 preterm neonates, 96 of them developed RDS, which further subdivided into three subgroups (subgroup received just conventional therapy, subgroup received conventional therapy plus vitamin D 400 IU/day, and subgroup received conventional therapy plus vitamin D 800 IU/day). The patient selection for each treatment subgroup was done by computed randomization, and all the patients had the same treatment protocols assigned for each subgroup.

Results: The preterm group who developed RDS had lower vitamin D concentrations than the preterm group without RDS (*P < .001). Also, the subgroups supplemented with vitamin D had lower Downes Respiratory Distress score and PaCO2 levels, less duration of hospitalization, and complications rates than the subgroup without vitamin D supplementation. The subgroup supplemented with 800 IU/day vitamin D showed also significantly improvement, less hospitalization duration, and less complications than those supplemented with 400 IU/day.

Conclusions: 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was deficient in most preterm babies especially those who developed RDS. Administration of 800 IU/day vitamin D as an adjuvant therapy in cases of RDS was associated with significant decreased in severity, rate of complications, and duration of hospital stay in preterm neonates with RDS.

Keywords: Downes Respiratory Distress score; preterm; respiratory distress syndrome; vitamin D.

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