Alpha-Tocopherol Concentration in Colostrum and Serum of Women With Premature Labor.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the levels of alpha-tocopherol in colostrum milk and serum of mothers with premature birth, classified as severe prematurity and moderate prematurity.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study with 65 women, 18 births classified as severe prematurity (<32 weeks of gestation) and 47 as moderate prematurity (≥32 weeks of gestation). The study only included mothers without any conditions associated with pregnancy and who had a single conception without any malformation. Samples of serum and colostrum were collected during fasting in the immediate postpartum, and alpha-tocopherol was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. To determine the biochemical nutritional status of vitamin E, a serum cutoff (11.6 μmol/L) was adopted. The Student t test for independent variables compared the average concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in serum and colostrum among prematurity groups. Differences were considered significant when P < 0.05.


RESULTS
The alpha-tocopherol concentrations in colostrum were similar in both groups, being 34.5 ± 20.2 μmol/L for women with severe prematurity and 35.1 ± 16.3 μmol/L for moderate prematurity. For the serum of puerperal women with severe prematurity, alpha-tocopherol concentration was, however, lower than in women with moderate prematurity, 22.2 ± 4.4 μmol/L versus 27.1 ± 8.6 μmol/L (P < 0.05). The serum levels of alpha-tocopherol indicated nutritional risk at 5.6% (n = 1) of women with severe prematurity and 4.3% (n = 2) for those with moderate prematurity.


CONCLUSIONS
Severe prematurity affected the levels of alpha-tocopherol in maternal serum; however, the level of prematurity did not change the concentration of vitamin E in colostrum.
*Department of Biochemistry †Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Lagoa Nova, Natal, Brazil.
Jeane Franco Pires
JF
Medeiros
Karla Danielly
KD
da Silva Ribeiro Rodrigues
Mayara Santa Rosa
MS
Lima
Anna Larissa Cortês
AL
da Silva
Jaluza Luana Carvalho
JL
de Queiroz
Roberto
R
Dimenstein
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003126:Colostrum / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth; D055815:Young Adult; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D024502:alpha-Tocopherol