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  • Original Article
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Maternal/neonatal vitamin D deficiency: a risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterms?

Abstract

Objective:

The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association between maternal/neonatal 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) levels and development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Study Design:

One hundred and thirty-two preterm infants 32 weeks of gestation who were diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome were enrolled. 25-OHD levels were determined in maternal/neonatal blood samples that were obtained at the time of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Result:

A total of 100 infants were included and 31 (31%) developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Both maternal and neonatal 25-OHD levels in the BPD group were significantly lower compared with those in the no-BPD group (P=0.0001). A positive correlation was detected between maternal and neonatal 25-OHD levels. All of the infants with BPD had a 25-OHD level <10 ng ml−1, which represented severe deficiency. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that maternal/neonatal vitamin D levels were a significant predictor of BPD (odds ratio (OR): 0.76 and 0.61, respectively, P<0.001).

Conclusion:

We demonstrated for the first time that lower maternal and neonatal vitamin 25-OHD levels were associated with BPD development in preterm infants. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to delineate the possible link between vitamin D deficiency and BPD.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, Turkey, for their support in the performance of statistical analysis of this work. Chiesi Pharmaceuticals had no role in the study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, the writing of the report and in the decision to submit the article for publication.

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Correspondence to M Çetinkaya.

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Çetinkaya, M., Çekmez, F., Erener-Ercan, T. et al. Maternal/neonatal vitamin D deficiency: a risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterms?. J Perinatol 35, 813–817 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.88

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