Background: Neonatal bronchopulmonary (BPD) is a serious chronic respiratory disease in neonates and is associated with long term problems and even death in neonates. Objective: Early detection of serum vitamin A levels in neonates as a predictor for neonatal BPD. Patients and methods: A retrospective case-control study, was done on 30 neonates who were hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Tanta University Hospital (TUH) suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (patient group) and 30 healthy neonates (control group). Detection of serum vitamin A (retinol) was done for all studied neonates within the first four hours after birth. Results: It showed statistically significant difference (SSD) in the serum RT levels between the patient and control group (P=0.001) and also significant negative correlation between serum RT levels and grades of BPD (P=0.005*). It showed that in the cases of neonatal BPD, the cut off value of serum RT levels was 0.84 μmol/L, AUC was 0.836, Sensitivity was 87 %, Specificity was 83 %, PPV was 84%, NPV was 86% and Accuracy was 85%. Conclusion Neonatal serum vitamin A levels were low in BPD neonates and may be used as a predictor for BPD development. Recommendation: Serum vitamin A levels in neonates could be used as a novel predictor marker for neonatal BPD.

Background: Neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic neonatal respiratory disease that is caused by prolonged oxygenation and mechanical ventilation (MV), leading to respiratory distress (RD). Patients and methods: Prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) with identification number TCTR20210622001 which was done at Tanta University Hospital (TUH) from August 2016 to February 2018 on 100 premature neonates who had RD and were put on MV. The examined neonates were classified into 2 groups: group 1, which received vitamin D supplementation, and group 2, which had placebo. Urinary β2-microglobulin (B2M) in addition to serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) levels were measured on the 1st and the14th day of hospitalization. Results: Significant decrease in urinary B2M and serum KL-6 levels in neonates of group 1 who were received vitamin D, if compared with group 2 neonates, who had taken placebo (P < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in the time of hospital stay in group 1 neonates, if compared with group 2 neonates (P < 0.05). Group 1 neonates showed a significant decrease of the developed BPD cases, if compared with group 2 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation may help in the prevention of BPD in neonates. Recommendation: Routine vitamin D supplementation to preterm neonates who are susceptible to develop BPD.