title: Is higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D level preventive for respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) development in preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2012 and January 2013, 81 preterm infants, gestational age below 32 weeks, were prospectively enrolled into the study. Cord bloods of these newborns were tested for 25(OH)D levels. Low level was defined as ≤ 15 ng/mL (Group 1) and normal level as > 15 ng/mL (Group 2). Patients in Group 1 were also divided further into two subgroups as severe deficiency (Group 1a, ≤ 5 ng/mL) and mild deficiency (Group 1b, 5-15 ng/mL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 57 infants had low 25(OH)D levels (Group 1, median 8.0 ng/mL [interquartile range, IQR, 5-10]; Group 2, median 21 ng/mL [IQR, 19-24.7]). RDS rate was significantly higher in Group 1a (n = 18, 32.7%) and Group 1b (n = 34, 61.8%) compared with Group 2 (n = 3, 5.4%) (p = 0.001). There were no difference of having RDS between Group 1a (94.7%) and Group1b (89.5) (p = 0.512). Multivariate analysis showed that higher 25(OH)D level can be preventive for the development of RDS (odds ratio, 0.6; 95% confidence interval (0.5-0.8); p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower cord blood 25(OH)D levels might be associated with increased risk of RDS in preterm infants with very low birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurdan Dinlen
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Fettah
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zenciroğlu
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dilli
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beken
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okumuş
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D