Abstract 112

Background: Respiratory infections in children are associated with low VAPL, that improve during recovery. Hypothesis: Airway infection in VLBW infants likewise may be associated with low VAPL. Subjects: Twelve VLBW infants (BW= 1040±180g, GA= 27.6±0.8 wks) with airway infection (positive cultures in tracheal aspirates + clinical and radiological signs). Results: The mean±SD VAPL before, during, one week after and two weeks after the episode of airway infection were 27.7±4.7, 12.8±4, 22.9±5.4 and 29.4±4.8µg/dl, respectively. The mean value during airway infection was significantly lower than those before, one and two weeks after airway infection (p<.001). All individual VAPL during airway infection were abnormally low (<20µg/dl). Conclusion: Airway infection in mechanically ventilated VLBW infants is associated with low VAPL, that improve during recovery. Speculation: Depletion of marginal liver stores of vitamin A from its increased tissue utilization during airway infection may account for low VAPL.