Vitamin A supplementation to prevent mortality and short- and long-term morbidity in very low birth weight infants

Abstract

Darlow BA, Graham PJ, Rojas-Reyes MX. Vitamin A supplementation to prevent mortality and short-and long-term morbidity in very low birth weight infants.

Can We Understand the Pathobiology of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia?

“…Further, the postnatal growth restriction resulting from insufficient total calories that is commonly observed in premature infants 98, 99 may represent an additional risk factor 100 , with evidence suggesting that adequate intake of protein 101 , fat 102 , and specific vitamins 103–106 are particularly important. Data from animals models 107–109 suggest that pre- and postnatal growth restriction alters antioxidant activity 110 , surfactant production 111 , pulmonary endothelial function 112 , and biologic pathways that regulate pulmonary vascular growth 113 .…”

Can We Prevent Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia?

“…A recent meta-analysis showed a small reduction in incidence of BPD with Vitamin A supplementation as compared with placebo (RR 0.87 CI 0.77–0.99 NNTB 11 CI 6–100). 36 However, vitamin A is not universally used due to high cost, limited availability, and need for frequent intramuscular injections..…”

Prevention and management of bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Lessons learned from the neonatal research network

“…The NRN conducted the largest randomized trial of vitamin A for BPD prevention to date 71 and contributed the majority of participants to the Cochrane review of vitamin A supplementation for prevention of BPD. 72 Unlike the use of postnatal steroids, vitamin A supplementation had no identified adverse effects in these studies.…”