title: Effect on serum calcium of a alpha-hydroxy-vitamin D3 supplementation in infants of low birth weight, infants with perinatal asphyxia, and infants of diabetic mothers.
abstract: Thirty infants of low birth weight, 35 infants with perinatal asphyxia, and 16 infants of diabetic mothers were investigated for early neonatal hypocalcaemia. The infants were randomized into a group prophylactically given 1 alpha-hydroxy-vitamin D3, 0.05 or 0.10 micrograms/kg i.v. on the first 3 days of life, and an untreated control group. In infants of low birth weight and infants of diabetic mothers there were no differences in serum ion-Ca concentrations on days 2, 3, 5, and 7 between the treated and untreated groups. In infants with perinatal asphyxia, however, serum ion-Ca concentrations on days 5 and 7 were significantly higher in the treated than in the untreated group, while on days 2 and 3 the differences were not statistically significant. The hypocalcaemia in asphyctic infants was not correlated to bicarbonate treatment, but infants with severe signs of asphyxia had lower serum ion-Ca concentrations than infants with only mild or no signs. Hypocalcaemia in asphyctic infants might be explained by a decreased concentration of 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 following reduced 1 alpha-hydroxylation in the kidney as a consequence of anoxia during perinatal asphyxia.
mesh_terms: D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000097:blood*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D002118:Calcium; C008088:alfacalcidol