Vitamin A Supplementation in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates: Rationale and Evidence

Newborn children with very low birth weight may have a vitamin A deficiency. the author presents the case for this being likely. This could be critical as vitamin A is integrally involved in normal growth, differentiation of epithelial cells, and development of the urogenital system, the eyes, and the skin. The respiratory system may also be involved.
ABBREVIATIONS. BPD, bronchopulmonary dysplasia; VLBW, very low birth weight; RBD, retinol-binding protein; IU, international units. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most prevalent form of chronic lung disease in infancy. Among [...]