American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 49, 121-126, Copyright © 1989 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Vitamin E supplementation in very-low-birth-weight infants: long-term follow-up at two different levels of vitamin E supplementation

KA Ronnholm, L Dostalova and MA Siimes
Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland.

This study evaluates the need of vitamin E supplementation in very-low- birth-weight infants by long-term follow-up of plasma vitamin E status during the first 15 mo of life, with two different levels of supplementation. The subjects were 51 newborn infants with birth weights less than or equal to 1520 g. During hospitalization the infants were fed human milk. On the third day of life oral vitamin E supplementation of less than or equal to 10 mg/d was started in all infants. In addition, 23 infants selected at random were given intramuscular vitamin E (20 mg/kg/d) during the first 3 d. The data indicate that the 10 mg/d supplement resulted in an adequate plasma concentration of vitamin E. After cessation of supplementation at age 3 mo, the risk of low plasma vitamin E levels increased. Although intramuscular administration resulted in long-lasting increments in mean plasma vitamin E values, some later levels in these infants were marginal.