Do healthy premature infants fed breast milk need vitamin E supplementation: alpha- and gamma-tocopherol levels in blood components and buccal mucosal cells.
Prematurely born, low birth weight infants are generally considered to be marginally vitamin E-deficient. Vitamin E deficiency has so far been defined as a low plasma alpha-tocopherol level (below 500 microg/dL) accompanied by a low tocopherol to lipid ratio or increased hydrogen peroxide hemolysis of erythrocytes. In the present study, we determined alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in plasma, red blood cells, platelets, buccal mucosal cells, monocytes, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes of premature infants to assess vitamin E status. Fourteen healthy, premature infants with birth weight (mean +/- SD) 1439 +/- 364 g and gestational age 30 +/- 1.7 wk were enrolled in the study. Alpha- and gamma-tocopherol were determined in cord blood and on d 0 to 1, 7, 14, 28, and 42 after birth in plasma and various cell types. Moreover, two randomly selected human milk samples were studied in each mother. Although subclinical or biochemical vitamin E deficiency was seen in healthy, premature infants in the first 6 wk of life in plasma and buccal mucosal cells, the other cells showed no such deficiency during the study. We conclude that these infants do not need routine vitamin E supplementation.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
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Kaempf
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Linderkamp
D001724:Birth Weight; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry; D001942:Breast Feeding; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D014810:Vitamin E