title: Premature infants require additional folate and vitamin B-12 to reduce the severity of the anemia of prematurity.
abstract: One hundred eighty-four premature infants, < 1800 g at birth and < 36 wk gestation, were entered into a study investigating the role of additional folate and vitamin B-12 supplementation of the anemia of prematurity. All patients initially received vitamin E and iron in accordance with accepted standards. Patients were randomly assigned to four groups to receive orally 0.1 mg folate/d for 4 mo, 100 micrograms vitamin B-12 intramuscularly monthly for 4 mo, both supplements, or neither. All other activities including parenteral nutrition were carried out according to established practices, irrespective of study group. By 10-12 wk, infants treated with vitamin B-12 alone or combined with folate had higher hemoglobin values than the untreated (P < 0.0005) or solely folate-treated (P < 0.01) groups. These findings held true irrespective of wide variations in treatment and feeding practices. The only uncontrolled hematologic nutritional factor, selenium, showed a similar pattern of decline for 10-12 wk in all study patients, whether or not they received additional vitamin supplements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Worthington-White
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behnke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D017701:Reticulocyte Count; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014810:Vitamin E; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D012643:Selenium; D014805:Vitamin B 12