Relationship between bone mineralization and aluminium in the healthy infant.
OBJECTIVE
This prospective study was designed to assess the relationship between variations of serum Aluminium levels and bone mineralization, which is one of its target tissues, in healthy premature (PT) and fullterm (FT) infants.


METHODS
Lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) studied by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry were compared to serum aluminium (S-Al), Ca (S-Ca), P (S-P), osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase activity (S-AP), and 25 OH Vitamin D (25 OH D) by simple and multiple regressions in healthy PT (n = 44) following their hospital discharge and FT (n = 82). PT (gestational age at birth (mean +/- 1 s.d.) 32 +/- 2 weeks) and FT were 43 +/- 39 and 36 +/- 32 weeks old respectively.


RESULTS
In PT multiple stepwise regression analysis including gestational age at birth, postconceptional age and postnatal age displayed only a significant correlation between BMD or BMC and postnatal age and a negative one with S-Al. In FT correlations were found between BMD or BMC and age and S-Ca.


CONCLUSIONS
In PT, variations in blood Al are associated with developmental delays. Care should be taken to lessen Al levels, even in healthy PT babies.
Laboratoire de Physiologie Digestive et Nutritionnelle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Caen, France.
D
D
Bouglé
J P
JP
Sabatier
F
F
Bureau
D
D
Laroche
J
J
Brouard
B
B
Guillois
J F
JF
Duhamel
D000375:Aging; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000535:Aluminum / Q000097:blood*; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis
D015675:Osteocalcin; D000535:Aluminum; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002112:Calcifediol