Myoinositol in small preterm infants: relationship between intake and serum concentration

Serum myoinositol (henceforth called inositol) concentration was measured in 12 preterm infants (birth weight 800-1,700 g, gestational age 27-32 weeks) from birth to 10 postnatal weeks. The diet was analyzed for inositol concentration and the daily intake was correlated with serum inositol. There were striking differences in the inositol concentration of infant feedings: preterm colostrum 4.22 +/- 0.51 mM; term colostrum 2.91 +/- 0.21 mM; mature milk 1.81 +/- 0.20 mM; infant formulas 0.09-0.39 mM; parenteral nutrition 0.15 +/- 0.13 mM. The high fetal serum inositol often fell during the first 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, serum inositol correlated significantly with inositol intake (R = 0.601, p less than 0.004). On breast milk serum inositol concentrations (0.56 +/- 0.07 mM) were higher than on formula feedings (0.36 +/- 0.03 mM). Since according to animal studies inositol is important during prenatal growth and differentiation, the present data justify further study on importance of dietary inositol in preterm infants.