What is the appropriate intravenous dose of vitamin E for very-low-birth-weight infants?

Luc P. Brion, Edward F. Bell, Talkad S. Raghuveer, Lamia Soghier

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Committee on Fetus and Newborn of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has endorsed 1 to 2 mg/dl as the normal range of serum tocopherol level. Our Cochrane review has shown that vitamin E supplementation resulting in levels >3.5 mg/dl, but not ≤3.5 mg/dl, significantly reduces the risk for severe retinopathy among very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants examined but increases the risks of sepsis and of necrotizing enterocolitis among infants treated for >1 week. As a fixed daily intravenous dose of vitamin E results in an inverse relationship between serum level and birth weight and is a risk for both low and high serum tocopherol levels, a dose adjusted for current weight appears more judicious than a fixed dose per day. Based on currently available data the AAP and the American Society for Clinical Nutrition currently recommend a routine intake of 2 ml/kg/day of MVI® Pediatric™ (2.8 IU/kg/day) in VLBW infants (maximum of 5 ml/day or 7 IU/day).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)205-207
Number of pages3
JournalJournal of Perinatology
Volume24
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2004

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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