Abstract
The vitamin A status was evaluated by measuring serum vitamin A by HPLC. Serum vitamin A concentration was lower at birth in term small for date (SFD) infants (mean ± 1 SD): 190 ± 95 μg/l than in appropriate (AGA) term infants: 314 ± 139 μg/l (p < 0,02); no difference was observed between preterm AGA and SFD infants at birth or after birth. After birth, serum vitamin A was determined in 40 AGA and 14 SFD preterm infants. Their gestational age was 31,8 ± 2,8 and 34 ± 2 weeks respectively. They were fed banked human milk (vitamin A concentration: 119 ± 53 μg/l) and supplemented only with 5000 IU vitamin A up to the age of 8 days. Serum vitamin A increased from 225 ± 124 μg/l at day 1-2 to 304 ± 118 μg/l at day 15 (p < 0,01) with values higher than baseline until day 60 (275 ± 102 μg/l). The proportion of values below 200 μg/l was 54 % before and 16 % after supplementation (p < 0,01). The median ratio of serum vitamin A/retinol-binding protein was similar before (0,98) and after (0,99) supplementation. The incidence of values higher than 1,13 was similar after supplementation (19 %) and before supplementation (17 %). These data suggest that all the preterm infants and SFD term infants are at risk from vitamin A deficiency. This risk can be avoided by an oral daily administration of 5000 IU vitamin A without inducing vitamin A toxicity.
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Sann, L., Leclercq, M. & Guillaumond, M. Serum vitamin A concentration in breast fed low birth weight infants. Pediatr Res 22, 233 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00117
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00117