Effects of oral vitamin D supplementation on linear growth and other health outcomes among children under five years of age.

Background: Vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone that is important for its role in calcium homeostasis to maintain skeletal health. Linear growth faltering and stunting remain pervasive indicators of poor nutrition status among infants and children under five years of age around the world, and low vitamin D status has been linked to poor growth. However, existing evidence on the effects of vitamin D supplementation on linear growth and other health outcomes among infants and children under five years of age has not been systematically reviewed.

Addressing cultural, racial and ethnic discrepancies in guideline discordant gestational weight gain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically review the literature and describe the discrepancies in achieving the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines across cultures.

Methods: Ten databases were searched from inception to April 2018. Observational cohort studies were included that examined adult women; reported on a measure of culture; compared cultural groups, and reported on GWG.

Calcitriol trend following pediatric cardiac surgery and association with clinical outcome.

Background: Consistent with accepted practice in stable ambulatory populations, the majority of ICU research has evaluated vitamin D status using a single blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level. Only a limited number of ICU studies have measured the active hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol) and none have used change in calcitriol levels to evaluate axis functioning. The objective of this study was to describe the impact of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) surgery on calcitriol levels and evaluate the relationship between change in postoperative levels and clinical course.