Fenton, TanisSauve, RegAl-Wassia, Haydi2017-01-302017-01-3020172017http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3604Background: Health care professionals face challenges in improving survival rates among very low birth infants who are at risk of hypophosphatemia. We aimed to identify the prevalence and predictive factors of hypophosphatemia. Methods: Prospective, exploratory pilot study of 106 infants admitted to intensive care unit at Foothills Hospital, Calgary between October 1, 2011 and June 1, 2012. Results: The prevalence of hypophosphatemia was 77%. Hypophosphatemic infants had significantly lower birth weight (p< 0.001) and gestational age (p< 0.001). Furthermore, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (p = 0.002), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) ≥ grade III (p =0.020), and hyperglycemia (p = 0.013) were more frequent among hypophosphatemic infants. Birth weight modified the association between RDS, IVH, hyperglycemia and hypophosphatemia. Conclusion: Hypophosphatemia is common in premature infants. Further research should determine whether premature birth and the associated metabolic consequences as well as the severity of the accompanying comorbidities increase the risk of hypophosphatemia.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Medicine and SurgeryVery low birth weightprevalencerisk factorshypophosphatemiamaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/27425