Maternal/neonatal vitamin D deficiency: a risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterms?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association between maternal/neonatal 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) levels and development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred and thirty-two preterm infants. 32 weeks of gestation who were diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome were enrolled. 25-OHD levels were determined in maternal/neonatal blood samples that were obtained at the time of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. RESULT: A total of 100 infants were included and 31 (31%) developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Both maternal and neonatal 25-OHD levels in the BPD group were significantly lower compared with those in the no-BPD group (P = 0.0001). A positive correlation was detected between maternal and neonatal 25-OHD levels. All of the infants with BPD had a 25-OHD level <10 ng ml(-1), which represented severe deficiency. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that maternal/neonatal vitamin D levels were a significant predictor of BPD (odds ratio (OR): 0.76 and 0.61, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated for the first time that lower maternal and neonatal vitamin 25-OHD levels were associated with BPD development in preterm infants. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to delineate the possible link between vitamin D deficiency and BPD.