title: Vitamin A supplementation improves retinal function in infants at risk of retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preterm infants show reduced retinal sensitivity at term corrected age compared with newborn term infants. We tested the hypothesis that retinal sensitivity in preterm infants is improved by early, high-dose vitamin A.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of infants <32 weeks' gestation and/or <1501 g birth weight. Supplemented infants received additional intramuscular vitamin A 10 000 IU 3 times weekly from day 2 for a minimum of 2 weeks or until establishment of oral feeding. Hepatic stores were assessed by relative dose response (RDR). The primary outcome measure was cone-corrected dark-adapted retinal rod sensitivity measured by electroretinogram at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age (PMA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-nine infants (42 supplemented and 47 controls) were recruited. Plasma retinol was higher in supplemented infants at 7 and 28 days (median, 1.0 vs 0.5 μmol/L and 0.7 vs 0.6 μmol/L; P < .001 and .03, respectively). Neither plasma retinol nor RDR differed between groups at 36 weeks' PMA. Retinal sensitivity was greater in supplemented infants (-0.81 vs -0.61 log cd • s • m(-2); P < .03) and was not related to RDR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early high-dose intramuscular vitamin A supplementation for infants at risk of retinopathy of prematurity improves retinal function at 36 weeks' PMA.
authors.affiliation: Princess Royal Maternity, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. helen.mactier@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mactier
authors.forename: Daphne L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: McCulloch
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galloway
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bradnam
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lavy
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Lawrence T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Weaver
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014801:Vitamin A