Abstract
An additional 15 cases have been added to the 7 cases reported originally in 1968. In contrast to those where the cataracts occurred in infants weighing 1500 gms or less, and where they appeared at 7 to 10 days following birth, the new cases include infants weighing up to 2610 gms, the cataracts appearing as late as 3 weeks of age.
Speculation in the original report is now support by evidence that these opacities may be the result of a delayed capability to metabolize one of the ingested carbohydrates.
The only cataracts in infancy known to be reversible are those associated with galactosemia. Therefore it seemed reasonable to study the galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase in those small infants who developed transient cataracts. In 3 cases examined this enzyme was found to be completely absent and was present at extremely low levels in 2. In a pair of twins, the larger one with normal enzyme levels maintained clear lenses, while its smaller brother who was shown initially to have no measurable level of the enzyme developed transient catracts.
The possible effects of excess galactose will be discussed. A question to explore is whether infants should be fed a carbohydrate which they are unable to metabolize.
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Hahn, P., Mccormick, A. & Segal, S. Post-natal transient cataracts in pre-term infants. Pediatr Res 5, 412 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00170
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00170