title: 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol for early neonatal hypocalcemia. Occurrence in premature newborns.
abstract: Oral 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD3) has been used to prevent early neonatal hypocalcemia. Thirty premature neonates were studied prospectively from birth: 22 premature infants constituted a control group, and eight were treated orally with 25OHD3 (2 microgram/kg/day) for five days beginning within the first 12 hours of life. Eleven of the 22 premature infants in the control group became hypocalcemic, with serum ionized calcium (Ca++) level less than 3.0 mg/dl and total calcium (CaT) level less than 7.0 mg/dl on day 2 of life. Only one of the eight premature infants treated with 25OHD3 became hypocalcemic. In treated neonates, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, as well as serum Ca++ and CaT levels, increased during the first five days of life and were considerably greater than levels in control neonates. No untoward effects of this treatment were observed.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D010710:Phosphates; D008274:Magnesium