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Calcium homeostasis in premature infants and treatment of early hypocalcaemia by 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol

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Abstract

We studied calcium homeostasis and the serum calcium response to oral 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25 (OH)2D3] at a low pharmacological dosage of 0.1 μg/kg daily in 14 early hypocalcaemic asymptomatic neonates. Seven hypocalcaemic neonates were not treated. In hypocalcaemic neonates serum PTH levels were normal, the urinary C-AMP response after PTH stimulation was poor and plasma 1,25 (OH)2D3 was low. Treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 resulted in a rapid increase of serum calcium. The increase was more rapid in neonates treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 than in untreated subjects. A similar result was obtained in one of a pair of identical twins. These results suggest that a low dose of 1,25(OH)2D3 is effective in treating neonatal hypocalcaemia. However, the response was delayed for 48 h. The reason for this delay is not clear.

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Abbreviations

1,25(OH)2D3 :

1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol

RDS:

respiratory distress syndrome

PTH:

parathyroid hormone

E-H test:

Ellsworth-Howard test

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Lin, CY., Ishida, M. Calcium homeostasis in premature infants and treatment of early hypocalcaemia by 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. Eur J Pediatr 146, 383–386 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00444943

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00444943

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