Abstract
Partial analysis of a 4 yr study of factors influencing MS-RLF including the effect of random assignment to Rx with Vit E (ERx) or no Rx (C) has been completed. Data from 269 babies with birth weight (BW) under 2000 gm or with BW 2000-2500 gm out at a gestational age <36 weeks and who required O2 Rx are presented. Babies were cared for in Pa. Hosp. Nurseries under strict O2 control as monitored by frequent measurements of PaO2. ERx babies in the 1st 1 2 yrs of the study (StudyI) had serum E levels in the range of 1.5 mg%; those in StudyII were kept in the 3.0 mg% range. StudyII babies received more adult blood than StudyI babies(mean of 58ml/K vs 29ml/K, p<.02) and had a greater MS-RLF in spite of greater antioxidant protection. Considering all babies (N=269) MS-RLF in ERx babies was less than in C babies (0.63 vs 1.05, p<.01) Babies who received 10ml/K (N=171) had a significantly lower MS-RLF than the 98 who received more blood (0.59 vs 1.41, p<.01). ERx babies in the “low” group had significantly lower MS-RLF associated with ERx than C babies (0.38 vs 0.71, p<.05) but reduction of MS-RLF associated with ERx did not reach significance in the “high” blood group (1.25 vs 1.52, NS). This suggests that more antioxidant protection was needed to offset the greater oxygen unloading ability of adult hemoglobin, as compared to fetal hemoglobin. An interesting sex difference was noted in C babies, MS-RLF being somewhat greater in the 82 boys than in the 82 girls (1.04 vs 0.92).
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Johnson, L., Schaffer, D., Goldstein, D. et al. INFLUENCE OF VIT.E TREATMENT (Rx) & ADULT BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS ON MEAN SEVERITY OF RETROLENTAL FIBROPLASIA (MS-RLF) IN PREMATURE INFANTS. Pediatr Res 11, 535 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00993
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00993