Comparison of Vitamin D and Calcium Levels Between Hospitalized Refugee Newborns and Native Newborns with Early-onset Hypocalcemia

Abstract

Aim:Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is mainly listed in the etiology of late-onset hypocalcemia in the neonatal period, as a probable cause of hypocalcemia in the early period, figured out in our study. We compared the vitamin D status and biochemical characteristics of refugee newborns with those of native newborns with early-onset hypocalcemia.Methods:One hundred and forty newborns enrolled in our comparative cross- sectional study were admitted with calcium <8 mg/dL in term or <7 mg/dL in preterm infants detected at the maternity ward within 72 h postnatal age during a 3-month period from June to August in 2020. Serum calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, and parathormone levels were measured on the initial day. Vitamin D and calcium levels in newborns before discharge.Results:The serum calcium levels in refugees were 7.12 mg/dL and 7.23 mg/dL in native newborns. The median vitamin D level was 8.57 μg/L in refugees and 7.99 μg/L in native newborns. Vitamin D deficiency was found in every eight in ten newborns with earlyonset hypocalcemia. There was no difference in the prevalence of VDD between the refugee and native neonates. Maternal vitamin D supplementation was 12.8% in the refugee group and 13.3% in the native group. The hospital stay was similar in both groups.Conclusion:Adequate access to preventive health services, routine screening of pregnant women for VDD, and supplementation during pregnancy and lactation should be provided to mothers from underdeveloped or developing countries because the prevalence of VDD is higher among this group.

Keywords

• hypocalcemia
• newborn
• refugee
• vitamin d