Vitamin D may reduce the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants Original paper

In this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, supplementation with vitamin D in preterm infants was associated with a reduced risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

The effect of supplementation with vitamin D or vitamin E on the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD; a chronic lung disease) in the context of premature birth.

A total of 388 preterm infants.

A meta-analysis of 6 randomized controlled trials was performed. The trials were conducted in the United States (4 trials), China (1 trial), and Egypt (1 trial). Three of the trials (comprising 278 participants) administered vitamin D (at a daily dose of 800 IU for 2–4 weeks), and the other 3 trials (comprising 110 participants) administered vitamin E (at a daily dose of 20–25 mg per kilogram of body weight). The comparators were usual care or a placebo.

BPD risk was reduced by 64% with vitamin D, but no effect was seen with vitamin E.

Although the researchers mentioned assessing the methodological quality of the trials included in the meta-analysis, the findings were not reported.

It’s unclear whether the researchers in each trial assessed vitamin D or E status at baseline and at the end of the trial. As such, it’s uncertain whether the effect of vitamin D on BPD risk stemmed from addressing a deficiency in vitamin D.