PEDIATRICS Vol. 77 No. 5 May 1986, pp. 636-640
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Serum Vitamin E Levels in the Very Low Birth Weight Infant During Oral Supplementation

Patricia R. Neal MD1, Pat Erickson RD1, John C. Baenziger MD1, John Olson MD1, and James A. Lemons MD1

1 From the Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine and the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis

A prospective study was initiated to monitor serum tocopherol levels in all infants admitted to Indiana University Medical Center with birth weights <1,500 g. These infants routinely receive 100 mg/kg/d of oral vitamin E (Aquasol E tocopherol acetate) every six hours. Levels are determined weekly or semiweekly using a modification of the fluorometric method of Hanson and Warwick. Vitamin E dosage is adjusted regularly to achieve levels ge3.5 mg/dL. During the 6 months of this study, a total of 76 patients had 567 serum measurements. Of these, 220 levels (38%) were ge3.5 mg/dL, 71 (13%) were ge5.5 mg/dL, and 15 (2.7%) were >8 mg/dL. Serum tocopherol levels often (1) remained ge3.5 mg/dL for several days after oral supplementation was discontinued or (2) again became ge3.5 mg/dL on a reduced dosage of 25 to 50 mg/kg/d. These data indicate that infants weighing <1,500 g at birth who are receiving oral vitamin E supplementation at 100 mg/kg/d will have varied serum levels with a significant percentage exceeding 3.5 mg/dL.

Key Words: vitamin E • oral supplementation • tocopherol

Accepted on November 13, 1985


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