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The early anaemia of the premature infant: is there a place for vitamin E supplementation?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

S. P. Conway ,
I Rawson ,
P. R. F. Dear ,
S. E. Shires  and
J. Kelleher
S. P. Conway
Affiliation:
Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health and Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF
I Rawson
Affiliation:
Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health and Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF
P. R. F. Dear
Affiliation:
Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health and Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF
S. E. Shires
Affiliation:
Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health and Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF
J. Kelleher
Affiliation:
Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health and Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF
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Abstract

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1. The efficacy of oral vitamin E supplementation in preventing the early anaemia of the premature infant was assessed in a 10-week double-blind trial. Forty-two babies received either a placebo or 5 or 15 mg supplementary vitamin E/d with oral feeding. No infant received less than the recommended vitamin E:polyunsaturated fatty acid (E:PUFA) value of 0.6. No iron supplement was given.

2. Weekly full blood counts were taken, and plasma vitamin E assay and in vitro haemolysis tests performed on blood sampled on day 1, and also at 6 and 10 weeks of age. All blood withdrawn and transfused and all feeds were documented.

3. Thirty-six (86%) of the babies had a plasma vitamin E level at birth below the accepted adult norm, i.e. < 5200 μg/l. At 6 weeks of age thirty-three (79%) and at 10 weeks thirty-five (83%) of the babies had levels within the normal adult range. No baby showed either clinical or haematological evidence of a vitamin E deficiency state during the trial.

4. It is concluded that in the absence of Fe supplementation and observing the minimum recommended E:PUFA value, contemporary feeding practices allow for the absorption of sufficient vitamin E by the premature baby to prevent the development of an early haemolytic anaemia.

5. No significant relation was found between plasma vitamin E levels and the degree of peroxide haemolysis.

Type
Papers of direct relevance to Clinical and Human Nutrition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 56 , Issue 1 , July 1986 , pp. 105 - 114
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1986

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