Vitamin A supplementation to prevent mortality and short and long-term morbidity in very low birthweight infants

Abstract

Background: Vitamin A is necessary for normal lung growth and the ongoing integrity of respiratory tract epithelial cells. Preterm infants have low vitamin A status at birth and this has been associated with increased risk of developing chronic lung disease. Several studies have been undertaken to assess whether vitamin A supplementation beyond that routinely given in multivitamin preparations can reduce the incidence of this outcome. Objectives: To assess the benefit and risk of supplementation with vitamin A in very low birthweight infants. Search strategy: Searches were made of the Oxford Database of Perinatal Trials, MEDLINE up to November 2006, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Register (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 2006), and Science Citation Index. The reference lists of relevant trials, recent issues of paediatric and nutrition journals, abstracts and proceedings from relevant conferences in the English language were hand searched. Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials which compared the effects of supplemental vitamin A with standard vitamin A regimes in infants with birthweight