PEDIATRICS Vol. 90 No. 6 December 1992, pp. 992-994
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Tocopherol Levels in Infants le1000 Grams Receiving MVI Pediatric

KAREN AMORDE-SPALDING MS, RD1, ARTHUR E. D'HARLINGUE MD2, BARRY L. PHILLIPS MD2, WILLIAM J. BYRNE MD1, K. STEVE CHENG PHD3, NANCY E. COOK PHD3, and JULIAN J. IRIAS MD3

1 Division of Gastroenterology-Nutrition, Children's Hospital, Oakland, California
2 Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, Oakland, California
3 The Metabolic-Nutrition Laboratory, Children's Hospital, Oakland, California

Achieving vitamin E sufficiency in the premature infant during parenteral nutrition requires early intravenous vitamin E supplementation. The optimal dose of intravenously administered vitamin E has not been determined. The antioxidant properties of vitamin E have led to its prophylactic use in the prevention of retinopathy of prematurity and intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants, with variable results.1-4 Risks associated with pharmacologic doses of vitamin E include necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis, and such adverse effects may be related to high plasma vitamin E levels.3

A plasma vitamin E level of 0.5 mg/dL is considered sufficient in premature infants.5 Johnson recomended that vitamin E levels in premature infants be maintained in a range of 1.0 to 3.0 mg/dL.

Submitted on March 19, 1992
Accepted on June 23, 1992