[Vitamins stability in parenteral nutrition]

Some decades ago, several studies were published describing vitamins degradation in parenteral nutrition (PN) and their catalysis by oligoelements such as copper. Thus, the practice of administering oligoelements and vitamins every other day and adding them the same day of PN was implemented. Today, in many Spanish hospitals these recommendations are still being followed although currently different products, type of containers, and ways of administration are used. The purpose of this review is to determine whether combined administration of vitamins and oligoelements with PN is recommended and how many days they remain stable while refrigerated under the current conditions of preparation and administration of PN.

We have reviewed the articles on vitamins stability in PN published after 1990.

The results are controversial with vitamin A, although "all-in-one" administration and photo-protection remarkably decrease its degradation and there seems to be no difference between adding the vitamin before its administration and doing so previously. Vitamin E is stable with photo-protection for 3-7 days under refrigeration plus one additional day at room temperature if multilayered bags are used. Thiamine is stable if bisulfites-free amino acids solutions are used.

We conclude that vitamins and oligoelements may be administered together and PN be prepared before use if "all-in-one" photo-protected multilayered bags and bisulfite-free amino acids solutions are used.