Vitamin A Supplementation for Extremely-Low-Birth-Weight Infants

Summary

This multi-site, randomized trial was conducted to determine the safety and effectiveness of a higher dose of vitamin A and determine if this would increase the rate of survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and reduce the risk of sepsis. Infants with birth weights from 401-1000g and who were on mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen at 24-96 hours of age were enrolled. Subjects were randomized to either the Vitamin A or a control group. Infants in the Vitamin A group were given a dose of 5000 IU (0.1 ml) intramuscularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for four weeks. Control infants received a sham procedure rather than placebo injections.

Timeline

Start

1996-01

Primary completion

1997-07

Completion

1999-07

Publications

• Background Stark AR, Tyson JE, Hibberd PL. Variation among institutional review boards in evaluating the design of a multicenter randomized trial. J Perinatol. 2010 Mar;30(3):163-9. doi: 10.1038/jp.2009.157. Epub 2009 Oct 1.
• Results Kennedy KA, Stoll BJ, Ehrenkranz RA, Oh W, Wright LL, Stevenson DK, Lemons JA, Sowell A, Mele L, Tyson JE, Verter J. Vitamin A to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very-low-birth-weight infants: has the dose been too low? The NICHD Neonatal Research Network. Early Hum Dev. 1997 Jul 24;49(1):19-31. doi: 10.1016/s0378-3782(97)01869-0.
• Results Tyson JE, Wright LL, Oh W, Kennedy KA, Mele L, Ehrenkranz RA, Stoll BJ, Lemons JA, Stevenson DK, Bauer CR, Korones SB, Fanaroff AA. Vitamin A supplementation for extremely-low-birth-weight infants. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. N Engl J Med. 1999 Jun 24;340(25):1962-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199906243402505.
• Results Ambalavanan N, Tyson JE, Kennedy KA, Hansen NI, Vohr BR, Wright LL, Carlo WA; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. Vitamin A supplementation for extremely low birth weight infants: outcome at 18 to 22 months. Pediatrics. 2005 Mar;115(3):e249-54. doi: 10.1542/peds.2004-1812. Epub 2005 Feb 15.
• Rysavy MA, Li L, Tyson JE, Jensen EA, Das A, Ambalavanan N, Laughon MM, Greenberg RG, Patel RM, Pedroza C, Bell EF; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. Should Vitamin A Injections to Prevent Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia or Death Be Reserved for High-Risk Infants? Reanalysis of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network Randomized Trial. J Pediatr. 2021 Sep;236:78-85.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.05.022. Epub 2021 May 15.

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