A Study on the Relationship of Vitamin A and E Levels in Umbilical Cord Blood with Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Preterm Infants

Abstract

Background Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is an important cause of death in preterm infants, which needs to be constantly strengthened in clinical prevention and treatment, but the relationship of umbilical cord blood vitamin A and E levels with the development of RDS in preterm infants has been rarely reported. Objective To investigate the relationship of vitamin A and E levels in umbilical cord blood with RDS in preterm infants. Methods A total of 304 preterm infants in the Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang from January 2021 to January 2022 were selected and divided into the RDS group (n=120) and non-RDS group (n=184) according to the incidence of RDS. Clinical features that may be related to the occurrence of RDS in preterm infants were collected, vitamin A and E levels in umbilical cord blood were detected. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of the occurrence and severity of RDS in preterm infants. Results The gestational age, birth weight, vitamin A and E levels in umbilical cord blood of preterm infants in the RDS group were lower than those in the non-RDS group, the proportions of newborn's Apgar score in one-minute≤7, newborn's Apgar score in five-minute≤7, and incidence of vitamin A deficiency were higher in the RDS group than those in the non-RDS group (P<0.05). There were 86 cases with mild RDS and 34 cases with severe RDS in the RDS group; the vitamin A level in umbilical cord blood in cases with severe RDS was significantly lower than cases with mild RDS, while the incidence of vitamin A deficiency was significantly higher than cases with mild RDS (P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that vitamin A level in umbilical cord blood was the influencing factor of the occurrence of RDS in preterm infants〔OR=2.208, 95%CI (1.156, 4.218), P<0.05〕, and vitamin A deficiency was the influencing factor of the occurrence of severe RDS〔OR=6.835, 95%CI (2.537, 18.416), P<0.05〕. Conclusion Vitamin A and E levels in umbilical cord blood are relatively lower in preterm infants with RDS, vitamin A level is the influencing factor of the occurrence and severity of RDS in preterm infants, suggesting that vitamin A supplementation should be applied during pregnancy to reduce the occurrence or severity of RDS in preterm infants.

Keywords

• respiratory distress syndrome, newborn|infant, premature|fetal blood|vitamin a|vitamin e|risk factors