title: Effectiveness of vitamin A in the prevention of complications of prematurity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess the effectiveness of vitamin A supplementation in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants to prevent complications of prematurity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective cohort study to determine the effectiveness of vitamin A in preventing complications of prematurity in VLBW infants. Vitamin A was delivered intramuscularly at a dose of 5000 IU, three times weekly during the first 28 days of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 187 eligible VLBW infants, we excluded from the analysis (due to death or transfer to another hospital), 16 infants weighing <1000 g and 17 weighing 1000-1500 g. Sixty VLBW infants received the vitamin supplement. We observed no differences between the groups in the duration of oxygen therapy or in the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The risk of sepsis was up to three times higher among the infants who were given the vitamin A supplement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the increased risk of sepsis in patients weighing >1000 g, the risk associated with repeated intramuscular injections of vitamin A and the modest clinical results described, we do not believe the universal administration of vitamin A to VLBW infants to be justified as prophylaxis for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Neonatal, Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Avenida del Doctor Oloriz, 16, 18012 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: juberos@ugr.es.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uberos
authors.affiliation: Unidad Neonatal, Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Avenida del Doctor Oloriz, 16, 18012 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miras-Baldo
authors.affiliation: Unidad Neonatal, Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Avenida del Doctor Oloriz, 16, 18012 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jerez-Calero
authors.affiliation: Unidad Neonatal, Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Avenida del Doctor Oloriz, 16, 18012 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Narbona-López
mesh_terms: D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000517:prevention & control; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000517:prevention & control; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A
keywords: bronchopulmonary dysplasia; intraventricular hemorrhage; retinopathy of prematurity; sepsis; very low birth weight infant; vitamin A