Vitamin D reduces risk of parent-reported wheezing in first year among preterm black infants

Reference

Hibbs AM, Ross K, Kerns LA, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on recurrent wheezing in black infants who were born preterm. The D-Wheeze randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2018;319(20):2086-2094.

Synopsis

Black infants born preterm experience high rates of wheezing throughout infancy. These investigators enrolled 300 infants who were 28 (0/7) to 36 (6/7) weeks' gestational age at birth, identified by the family as black or African American, and who received 28 days or less of supplemental oxygen during hospitalization. Eligible infants, adjusted gestational age 40 (6/7) weeks or younger at enrollment, received open-label vitamin D supplement 400 IU daily until consuming at least 200 IU in formula or human milk fortifier. Infants were then randomized (concealed allocation assignment) to continue vitamin D 400 IU daily or placebo. Parents, caregivers, and study personnel remained masked to treatment group assignment. Complete follow-up occurred at 12 months of age for 94.0% of participants. Using intention-to-treat analysis, parent-reported recurrent wheezing (2 or more episodes) with or without an infection occurred significantly less in the sustained supplementation group than in the control group (31.1% vs 41.8%, respectively; number needed to treat = 9.4, 95% CI 3.6 - 34.5). No significant group differences occurred in other medically reported illnesses such as asthma, allergies, eczema, respiratory sick visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, or adverse events.