title: Serum vitamin A (retinol) concentrations and association with respiratory disease in premature infants.
abstract: Vitamin A has been shown to be important in immunity and in differentiation of epithelial tissues. Serum concentrations of vitamin A (retinol) were measured at birth, in 54 preterm and 24 full term infants. Vitamin A concentrations were significantly lower in the preterm compared to the full term infants (9.81 +/- 0.58 micrograms/dl v. 15.58 +/- 1.00 micrograms/dl, P = 0.0001). Serum retinol and birth weight were positively correlated (r = 0.39, P = 0.0004); however, there was no correlation between maternal and infant vitamin A concentrations. The initially reduced vitamin A levels in the preterm infants were not associated with respiratory distress syndrome or pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coutsoudis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Coovadia
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D013019:South Africa; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A