Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health
Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health
Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health
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a significant associati<strong>on</strong> between 25(OH)D levels and the untreated decay rate (dt)<br />
(p=.046) while c<strong>on</strong>trolling for the influence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> other serum metabolites. In additi<strong>on</strong>,<br />
calcium levels were also significantly associated with dt scores. Lower prenatal calcium<br />
levels were indicative <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> higher dt scores.<br />
The sec<strong>on</strong>d model included those same independent variables that were in the<br />
expanded logistic regressi<strong>on</strong> model for ECC. Again, the same variables <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> enamel<br />
hypoplasia, infant age, and 25(OH)D were found to be significantly associated with the<br />
untreated caries rate when adjusted for the other potential influencing variables. Lower<br />
vitamin D levels were associated with increased untreated primary tooth caries rates.<br />
Naturally, there were some limitati<strong>on</strong>s to this study that are worth menti<strong>on</strong>ing.<br />
One <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the limitati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this study was the relatively small sample size and attriti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
the birth cohort. However, c<strong>on</strong>sidering the nature <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the study populati<strong>on</strong>, a retenti<strong>on</strong> rate<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> nearly two-thirds is remarkable. We had in fact anticipated a loss <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> half <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the cohort.<br />
In order to deal with the foreseeable loss <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> participants, the decisi<strong>on</strong> was made to double<br />
our desired sample size at the outset <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this prospective investigati<strong>on</strong>. The small cohort<br />
size did restrict our ability to develop complex multivariate models for our outcomes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
interest.<br />
Overall, several women and their <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fspring were lost between the prenatal phase<br />
and infant study phase. This likely translated into limited statistical power and did result<br />
in several smaller regressi<strong>on</strong> models due to the small sample <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> infants. Fortunately, even<br />
though there were several losses to follow-up, it did not appear to negatively impact <strong>on</strong><br />
vitamin D assessments as there was no significant difference in vitamin D levels between<br />
those who remained in the study and returned with their infant and those lost to follow-up<br />
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