Plasma active vitamin D concentration in low birthweight infants with rickets and its response to vitamin D treatment.

Abstract

Impairment of 25-hydroxylation may be a cause of rickets in infants of low birthweight, weighing between 2000 and 2500 g. In addition there may be impairment of 1 alpha-hydroxylation in infants weighing less than 2000 g. Our data show that a supplementary dose of vitamin D2 of at least 500 IU daily is a reasonable regimen for infants who weighed between 2000 and 2500 g at birth. However for infants who weighed less than 2000 g with a gestation of under 38 weeks, administration of 1 alpha-OHD3 may be more effective in preventing rickets.