Association between vitamin D levels and early onset sepsis in infants: a prospective observational study

Abstract

Background:An appropriate vitamin D supplementation that leads to higher maternal 25-OHD levels during pregnancy which would subsequently have beneficial effects in prevention of both maternal and neonatal morbidities. Aim of the study was toevaluate the effect of vitamin D levels on early-onset sepsis (EOS) in term infants admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Lotus children’s hospital, Hyderabad.Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in NICU of Lotus Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad from January 2016 to May 2016. Thirty nine term infants with clinical and laboratory findings of EOS (study group) and thirty nine healthy infants with no signs of clinical/laboratory infection (control group) admitted to LCH-NICU who fulfilled the eligibility criteria were enrolled in this study. Blood was drawn at the time of admission during the first 3 postnatal days of life in both groups for measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels. Results:Out of total of 78 infants (48.7%) was male and (51.3%) was female. CRP level was more than 20 in 64%, 11 to 20 in 28% and 0 to 10 in 8% of study population, while blood culture was positive in 44% of the study group. No significant difference was found between two groups in terms of sex, birth weight, gestational age, mode of delivery, sun protection. 25-OHD levels in the study group were significantly lower compared with those in the control group (P<0.05). The majority (64.1%) of infants in the sepsis group had a mean 25-OHD level >12 ng ml-1, which was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusions:This study reports significantly lower neonatal 25-OHD levels in term infants with EOS compared with those who did not have sepsis.