Journal of Nutritional Disorders & Therapy

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among preterm infants at birth in Wuxi, China

International Conference on Pediatric Nutrition

August 01-02, 2016 New Orleans, USA

Rui Fang and Xin Zhao

Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, China

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nutr Disorders Ther

Abstract:

Maintenance of sufficient vitamin D in preterm infants is of great importance. However, data on vitamin D status among preterm neonates in China is still limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the vitamin D level in preterm neonates and assess its association with maternal vitamin D level during pregnancy. A cross-sectional study was performed in 179 preterm neonates admitted to the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) at the Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Hospital from May 2013 to May 2014. Radial artery blood specimens were collected within 24h after birth. Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) levels were measured. Overall, vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in 84.4% of preterm neonates and 52.0% had a 25(OH) D level <30nmol/L. Only 1.6% had an optimal vitamin D status (>75 nmol/L). There was no significant difference in preterm neonatal 25 (OH) D levels between groups of boys and girls, singleton and twin gestation, low and normal birth weight. However, vitamin D levels of preterm newborns delivered in different seasons varied greatly. The vitamin D status of preterm neonates strongly correlated with maternal vitamin D (r=0.416, P=0.016), and this correlation persisted after adjusting for birth season and gestational age at maternal blood sampling (r=0.527, P=0.002). This is the first study to evaluate the vitamin D status among preterm neonates in China, and a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was found which requires urgent attentions. It is also implied that adequate maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy might benefit the vitamin D status of neonates.

Biography :

Email: wfangruix@163.com