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Umbilical cord vitamin D, ionized calcium and myocardial oxygen demand
Inez Reeves1, Willie Liang, M Sadegh Asadi
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology .
Insights
Low vitamin D and calcium in umbilical cord blood of newborns with low birthweight (LBW) correlate with lower heart rate-systolic pressure product (RPP), indicating potential issues in heart development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Cardiovascular health
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Systemic vitamin D and calcium levels are linked to birthweight and cardiovascular disease.
- The relationship between umbilical cord blood levels of vitamin D and ionized calcium with birthweight and cardiovascular function remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between umbilical cord blood vitamin D and ionized calcium levels, birthweight, and the heart rate-systolic pressure product (RPP) in newborns.
- To assess RPP as an indicator of myocardial oxygen demand in relation to cord blood nutrient status and birthweight.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study comparing cord blood vitamin D and ionized calcium in normal weight and low birthweight (LBW) newborns.
- Measurement of heart rate and blood pressure during postnatal transition to compute RPP.
Main Results:
- RPP showed a positive correlation with birthweight and cord ionized calcium in both normal and LBW newborns.
- In LBW newborns, RPP was positively correlated with cord vitamin D levels.
Conclusions:
- Low RPP in LBW newborns is associated with low umbilical cord vitamin D and ionized calcium levels.
- These findings suggest a potential link between low cord nutrient status and pathological heart development in LBW infants.
Objective:
Systemic blood vitamin D and total calcium are correlates of birthweight and cardiovascular disease but whether umbilical cord blood vitamin D and ionized calcium are correlates of birthweight and cardiovascular function is not known. This cross-sectional study correlates umbilical cord vitamin D, ionized calcium and birthweight with the heart rate-systolic pressure product (RPP), an indicator of myocardial oxygen demand.
Methods:
Cord blood vitamin D and ionized calcium concentrations were compared for vitamin D normal (≥50 nM, 20 ng/mL) and vitamin D deficiency (<50 nM, 20 ng/mL) in normal weight (≥2500 g) and low birthweight (LBW, <2500 g) newborns. Heart rate and blood pressure were measured during postnatal transition and RPP was computed.
Results:
RPP was positively correlated with birthweight (r = +0.52, p < 0.001) and with cord ionized calcium level (r = +0.42, p < 0.01) in the normal and LBW newborns. RPP was positively correlated with cord vitamin D level in the LBW newborns (raw r = +0.50, p < 0.05, normalized for birthweight r = +0.73, p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
Small RPP, an indicator of low myocardial oxygen demand, in LBW newborns appears to correlate with low umbilical cord vitamin D and ionized calcium levels, suggestive of pathological heart development.
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