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. 1973 May;48(5):360–365. doi: 10.1136/adc.48.5.360

Vitamin E and haemolytic anaemia in premature infants

S S Lo, D Frank, W H Hitzig
PMCID: PMC1648371  PMID: 4739911

Abstract

Studies in 50 premature babies aged 6 to 8 weeks showed that vitamin E plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of the `anaemia of prematurity'. Administration of 10 mg/day vitamin E orally elicited a clear-cut clinical and haematological response.

There was a relation between the type of nutrition and the onset of anaemia, anaemia regularly developing within 2 weeks of changing from human milk to a powdered cow's milk formula. Susceptibility to haemolysis was quantitated by measuring the free haemoglobin after exposure of the erythrocytes to hydrogen peroxide. This peroxide haemolysis was increased when the vitamin E level in the blood was below 0·6 mg/100 ml. It became normal a few days after vitamin E administration and the consequent rise in blood concentration.

It is concluded that a supplement of vitamin E is advisable from the 10th day onwards in premature infants who are artificially fed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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