PEDIATRICS Vol. 78 No. 3 September 1986, pp. 503-506
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Lessons From the E-Ferol Tragedy

William F. Balistreri MD1, Michael K. Farrell MD1, and Kevin E. Bove MD1

1 From the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition and Division of Pediatric Pathology, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."—G. Sabtatana

Several factors combined to suggest that supplemental vitamin E should be administered to low birth weight infants. The persistent concern and controversy, the latter confounded by a paucity of data, have been discussed in recent editorials.1,2 At birh, tissue stores of the naturally occurring lipidsoluble antioxidant vitamin E (agr-tocopherol) are low. The amount of total tocopherol in the tissue of premature infants is approximately one half that of full-term infants. 3 Maternal vitamin E supplementation seems to have minimal effect on serum vitamin E levels in the newborn because there is poor placental transfer; maternal blood levels are higher than cord levels.1-3