Serum vitamin A levels as a novel predictor for respiratory distress syndrome in neonates: is it beneficial?

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nNeonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a very important dangerous disease in neonates and is accompanied by neonatal complications and death.\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nEarly determination of neonatal serum vitamin A levels as a possible novel predictor for neonatal RDS.\n\n\nPATIENTS AND METHODS\nA case-control study, with the identification number TCTR20210206001 was done on 100 neonates who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Tanta University Hospital (TUH) suffering from RDS (patient group) and 100 healthy neonates (control group). Estimation of serum vitamin A (retinol) was occurred for all neonates of this study within the first four hours after birth before any nutrition or therapies.\n\n\nRESULTS\nShowed no significant difference between serums retinol (RT) levels in grade 1&2 RDS neonates (patient group) and the serum RT levels in the control group while there was significant difference between serums retinol levels in grade 3&4 RDS neonates (patient group) and the serum retinol levels in the control group where the P-value was 0.006, 0.002 respectively.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nSerum vitamin A levels in neonates were decreased in RDS neonates and could be used as a predictor for the development and severity of RDS.\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION\nRoutine estimation of serum vitamin A levels in neonates as a novel predictor for neonatal RDS.