P1009 - VITAMIN D STATUS IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT PRETERM AND TERM CHILDREN AT 5–6 YEARS OF AGE: ASSOCIATIONS WITH HEALTH OUTCOMES

P1009

VITAMIN D STATUS IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT PRETERM AND TERM CHILDREN AT 5–6 YEARS OF AGE: ASSOCIATIONS WITH HEALTH OUTCOMES

H.-Y. Chang^1,*, J.-H. Chang¹, C.-H. Hsu¹, C.-H. Chen¹

¹Pediatrics, MacKay Children's Hospital , Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China

Rationale: Vitamin D is crucial for overall health, yet its impact on growth and organ function in children remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate vitamin D levels and their associations with growth, lung, cardiac, kidney function, and cognitive outcomes in children.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted from two previous studies comparing health outcomes between very low birth weight (born <1500 g) preterm children with term children at 5–6 years of age. Participants were classified as vitamin D deficient (serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL) or non-deficient (serum 25(OH)D ≥20 ng/mL). A comprehensive range of health parameters were compared between the vitamin D status groups, including anthropometric measures (weight, height, and BMI), blood pressure, pulmonary function (by spirometry), cardiac function (assessed via conventional and speckle-tracking echocardiography), renal function (eGFR-cysC), and bone mineral density. Additionally, cognitive function was assessed using WPPSI-IV within the preterm subgroup.

Results: Among 213 children (144 preterm, 69 term), vitamin D deficiency was present in 31.5% of the total population. Vitamin D levels and deficiency status did not impact growth, blood pressure, respiratory health, pulmonary function, cardiac function, kidney function, or bone mineral density. However, vitamin D levels correlated positively with supplementation (r=0.27, p=0.006), physical activity (r=0.256, p=0.009), and sun exposure (r=0.303, p=0.002). In the preterm group, vitamin D deficiency and levels had no significant impact on cognitive outcomes.

Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was common in children at 5–6 years but had no significant impact on health outcomes. Promoting supplementation, exercise, and sun exposure may help improve vitamin D levels. Further studies are warranted to explore potential long-term health implications of vitamin D deficiency.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared