[Vitamin E mixture for children--treatment with a blindfold?].
BACKGROUND
Vitamin E is used in children with different diagnoses and conditions, including premature babies and infants. In Norway, there is no licensed vitamin E formulation designed for children. Consequently, extemporaneous production is carried out in pharmacies. Two formulation recipes are available, one for veterinary use and one intended for premature infants.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to all Norwegian hospital pharmacies to examine what type of oral vitamin E drops that had been produced or procured after 1 January 2003.


RESULTS
27 (90%) of 30 hospital pharmacies replied. 18 (66.6%) had produced or procured vitamin E drops. 11 (40.7%) had produced or procured a product similar to Vitamin E 50 mg/ml drops for veterinary use. Nine (33.3 %) had produced or procured a product similar to the product called Vitamin E 50 IE/ml drops for premature infants.


CONCLUSIONS
Data on the various vitamin E formulations, concentrations, optimal dosing and toxicity lack consistency. Lack of data may cause sub-optimal treatment, adverse reactions, or overdosing.
RELIS Sør, Rikshospitalet, 0027 Oslo. tone.westergren@rikshospitalet.no
Tone
T
Westergren
Betty
B
Kalikstad
D000284:Administration, Oral; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004348:Drug Labeling; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009664:Norway; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014810:Vitamin E