FIGURE 6.

The effect of disease severity and immaturity on label incorporation into PC molecular species by the PEMT pathway. Combined enrichments of the polyunsaturated species PC 38:4, PC 38:5, PC 38:6, and PC 40:6 were calculated in panel A for infants with more severe disease who received a second dose of methyl-D₉-choline at 120 h compared with infants who received a single dose of label (mean ± SEM; *P < 0.05, t test). Initially, 14 infants received the single dose and 13 infants received 2 doses. Corresponding numbers at 120 h were 6 and 11 infants. Infants with too few samples to calculate label incorporation (n = 4) were excluded. The association of PEMT, calculated from methyl-D₃ label enrichment at 24 and 48 h, is shown for gestational age (B) and birth weight (C). PC, phosphatidylcholine; PEMT, phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase.