title: Effect of calcium therapy in the sick premature infant with early neonatal hypocalcemia.
abstract: Twenty-seven sick premature infants with serum calcium concentrations less than 6.0 mg/dl during the first day of age were enrolled in a prospective controlled study involving two treatment regimens--calcium given as a bolus or a drip--or no treatment. Mean total calcium concentration was 5.5 +/- 0.8 mg/dl, and ionized calcium was 3.1 +/- .3 mg/dl, with no significant difference between treatment groups. By 24 hours, in all groups total calcium had increased to greater than 6.0 mg/dl (bolus 6.5 +/- 1.1, drip 7.0 +/- 0.4, control 6.6 +/- 0.4) and ionized calcium to greater than 3.5 mg/dl (bolus 3.9 +/- 0.3, drip 3.6 +/- 0.6, control 3.6 +/- 0.3). Ionized and total calcium concentrations were significantly correlated (r = 0.562; P less than 0.001), but total calcium did not predict ionized calcium in any group. These data support the concept that, even in sick infants, early neonatal hypocalcemia is a physiologic phenomenon that may not require treatment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium