Related Experiment Videos
Vitamin E status of infants at birth
1Department of Neonatology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. gneckl@sgh.gov.sg
Insights
Preterm infants often have vitamin E deficiency due to insufficient antioxidant mechanisms. This study found preterm babies had a higher incidence of vitamin E deficiency compared to term infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Preterm infants are vulnerable to chronic lung disease and retinopathy of prematurity.
- Deficient antioxidant mechanisms, including vitamin E, may contribute to these conditions.
- Vitamin E is a crucial antioxidant for infant health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare vitamin E status in preterm and term newborns.
- To investigate the relationship between cord blood vitamin E levels and gestational age, birth weight, and weight for gestational age.
Main Methods:
- Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from 40 preterm and 180 term infants.
- Vitamin E levels were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography.
- Linear regression analysis was employed to examine correlations.
Main Results:
- Median vitamin E levels did not significantly differ between preterm (2.61 mg/L) and term (2.77 mg/L) infants (p = 0.2).
- A weak but significant positive correlation was observed between cord blood vitamin E and gestational age (r = 0.14, p = 0.046).
- Preterm infants exhibited a higher prevalence of vitamin E deficiency (38%) compared to term infants (19%) (p = 0.02).
Conclusions:
- Vitamin E accumulates during the third trimester of pregnancy.
- Preterm infants are at a higher risk of vitamin E deficiency.
- Ensuring adequate vitamin E levels in preterm neonates is important for preventing related complications.
Abstract:
Preterm infants may be susceptible to chronic lung disease and retinopathy of prematurity because of deficient antioxidant mechanisms including deficiency of vitamin E. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of the antioxidant vitamin E among preterm and term livebirths. Umbilical cord blood samples collected from 40 preterm and 180 term babies were analyzed for vitamin E levels using high performance liquid chromatography. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship of vitamin E with gestational age, birth weight and appropriateness of weight for gestational age. The median vitamin E level of preterm babies (2.61 mg/L) was not significantly different from that of term babies (2.77 mg/L), p = 0.2. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a weak but statistically significant correlation between cord blood vitamin E levels and gestational age (r = 0.14, p = 0.046). Vitamin E levels did not correlate with birth weight or weight for gestational age. Preterm babies had a higher incidence of vitamin E deficiency compared to term babies (38% v 19%, p = 0.02). Our findings lead us to conclude that vitamin E accumulates in the fetus throughout the third trimester so that preterm infants are likely to have vitamin E deficiency.