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Does vitamin D deficiency affect placental inflammation or infections among very low birth weight infants?

Subhash Puthuraya1,2, Sreenivas Karnati1,2, S Nadya J Kazzi2

  • 1a Department of Pediatrics , Cleveland Clinic Children's , Cleveland , OH , USA.

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine : the Official Journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
|May 19, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Low vitamin D levels at birth in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) were not linked to placental inflammation or neonatal infections. This study found no association between vitamin D deficiency and these adverse outcomes in VLBWI.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatology
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) are susceptible to infections and may have suboptimal vitamin D levels.
  • Placental inflammation is a known risk factor for adverse neonatal outcomes.
  • The role of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OH D) in protecting VLBWI from infections and inflammation requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OH D) levels at birth and the presence of placental inflammation and neonatal infections in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI).

Main Methods:

  • Serum 25OH D levels were measured in 89 VLBWI and 47 mothers at birth and in 78 infants at 21 days.
  • Placentas were histologically examined for maternal and fetal inflammatory changes.
  • Infants were categorized into deficient (≤10 ng/ml) and adequate (>10 ng/ml) 25OH D groups based on day 1 levels.

Main Results:

  • Maternal and infant 25OH D levels at birth were positively correlated (p < .001).
  • Infants' 25OH D levels increased significantly by day 21 (p < .001).
  • No significant associations were found between deficient 25OH D levels and maternal/fetal inflammation or neonatal infections (p > .05).

Conclusions:

  • Deficient 25OH D levels at birth are not associated with placental inflammation or neonatal infections in VLBWI.
  • These findings suggest that vitamin D status at birth may not be a primary determinant of early inflammatory processes or infection risk in this vulnerable population.
Abstract

Keywords:
Vitamin D levelschorioamnionitisfetal inflammatory responsematernal inflammatory responseneonatal infectionplacenta

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