Three years Prophylaxis against Rickets in Prematures, with D, Massive Dose

Abstract

Summary.100 prematurely born infants, who had been treated with a massive dose of vitamin D for prophylactic purposes, were subjected to a control examination, in order to ascertain how far they were free from marked rachitic symptoms. This control showed that the protective effect of the administration of 500 000 international units of vitamin D2 per os was distinctly efficacious. During the three immediately following months the infants, with merely two exceptions, had not received any further supply of vitamin D. In 19 cases slight rachitic residues were clinically observed. Only 4 of them had been treated lege artis after the period, during which the massive dose is effective. Among the said cases, a strikingly large number consisted of twins and of infants who had received their massive dose later than one month after birth. This forces us to the conclusion that the massive dose should be administered at a very early stage, preferably during the first 14 days of life. No definite indications that the massive dose treatment had entailed any toxic lesions could be detected.