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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Evaluation of vitamin D protocol in the neonatal intensive care unit at Rush University Medical Center

Alexis Artman1,2,3, Annie Huang1,2,3, Rakhee Bowker4

  • 1Department of Health Systems Management, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

JPEN. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
|June 14, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Sociodemographic factors influenced vitamin D dosing in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. However, the study found no significant association between vitamin D dose and infant health indicators like bone mineral status.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care and nutrition
  • Pediatric endocrinology
  • Public health

Background:

  • Rush University Medical Center implemented individualized vitamin D dosing for very low-birth-weight (VLBW) and very preterm infants in 2017.
  • This study assessed factors associated with vitamin D dose and its impact on infant health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the association between demographic/socioeconomic factors, vitamin D dose, and health indicators in VLBW and very preterm infants.
  • To determine if individualized vitamin D supplementation impacts bone mineral status, growth, or fracture occurrence.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cross-sectional study of 227 VLBW or very preterm infants born between 2017-2019.
  • Vitamin D dose categorized as adjusted (800 IU/day) or standard (400 IU/day).
  • Regression models used to analyze associations between infant/maternal characteristics, vitamin D dose, and health indicators.

Main Results:

  • Maternal age, gestational age, infant birth weight, and race/ethnicity were significantly associated with receiving an adjusted vitamin D dose.
  • No significant associations were found between the vitamin D dose group and health indicators (bone mineral status, growth velocity, fractures).

Conclusions:

  • Sociodemographic factors may play a role in vitamin D deficiency in VLBW and very preterm infants.
  • Current evidence is insufficient to support a tailored vitamin D supplementation approach in this population.
  • Further research is warranted to explore individualized vitamin D strategies.
Abstract

Keywords:
alkaline phosphataseethnicityfractureshealth outcomeslinear growth velocityneonatal intensive care unitphosphorusracesocioeconomic factorsvery low-birth-weight infantsvery preterm infantsvitamin D deficiencyvitamin D supplementation

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