Vitamin D Status and the Adequacy of Vitamin D Intake in Early Preterm Infants

Adequacy of Vitamin D Intake and Vitamin D Status in Early Preterm Infants

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient. Deficiency of vitamin D is widespread. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in early preterm infants is unknown. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a daily intake of 400 IU in order to achieve a serum concentration of 20 ng/ml of vitamin D. This recommendation presumes exposure to sunlight, the best source of vitamin D. This study assesses vitamin D status at birth and during hospital stay in infants delivered delivered at earlier than or at 32 weeks gestation. We also assess the adequacy of intake relative to the target set by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hypovitaminosis D

Detailed Description

Vitamin D is important for bone health. Deficiency of vitamin D is widespread and is associated with a variety of diseases. Preterm infants are susceptible osteopenia of prematurity (OP). Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to OP. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a daily intake of 400 IU in order to achieve a serum concentration of 20 ng/ml of vitamin D. This recommendation presumes exposure to sunlight, the best source of vitamin D. Whether this level of intake or target serum concentration are achieved in early preterm infants is unknown. We hypothesize that because early preterm infants are sequestered in the Newborn Intensive Care Units for an extended period of time, they will be deficient in vitamin D and that the current nutritional intake may not be adequate in meeting the AAP recommendation. We assessed the concentration of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D in parturient mothers and in their newborns if they were less than 32 week gestation. We monitored vitamin D intake during hospitalization in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D at discharge.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 120

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45229
      • University of Cincinnati Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 1 day to 1 week (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

All infants born at or less than 32 weeks postmenstrual age admitted to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at University of Cincinnati Medical Center were eligible. Intake of vitamin D and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D concentrations were assessed during stay in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• All neonates delivered at or less than 32 weeks gestation were eligible.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Infants with lethal congenital malformation
• Infants that were not expected to survive to discharge
• Infants delivered from multiple gestation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Preterm infants born at or less than 32 weeks gestation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D concentration at the time of birth and at discharge from the hospital.	This is a longitudinal study that assessed vitamin D status at birth in infants as well as in their mothers. Daily intake of vitamin D was analyzed. The serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D at discharge was assessed. We correlated maternal vitamin D with infants' vitamin D concentrations at birth. We also correlated vitamin D concentration at birth with the concentration at discharge.	6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
• Investigators: Study Director: Henry T Akinbi, M.D., Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 13, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 13, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): February 15, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): April 19, 2013
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 17, 2013
• Last Verified: April 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Metabolic Diseases; Nutrition Disorders; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Deficiency Diseases; Malnutrition; Bone Diseases; Bone Diseases, Metabolic; Calcium Metabolism Disorders; Vitamin D Deficiency; Rickets; Avitaminosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: VitD_Preterm#1