Abstract OBJECTIVE: There is controversy as to whether vitamin E supplementation is essential for healthy breast-feeding premature infants. This study examined the dynamic changes of the serum vitamin E level in healthy breast-feeding premature infants within 30 days after birth. METHODS: Thirty-eighty healthy breast-feeding premature infants were randomized to receive vitamin E supplementation (Intervention group, n=20) or without (Control group, n=18). The Intervention group was intramuscularly injected with vitamin E 50 mg daily for 3 days soon after birth.Blood samples were collected at birth (before the first vitamin E injection), and 10 and 30 days after birth. The serum vitamin E level was measured by spectrophotofluorometer. RESULTS: The vitamin E level of the Intervention group (1.64±0.68 mg/dL) was no significantly different from that of the Control group (1.76±0.74 mg/dL) (P>0.05) at birth. The Vitamin E level of the both groups increased 10 days after birth, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (2.54±1.23 mg/dL vs 2.64±1.13 mg/dl,P>0.05). On the 30th day after birth, the vitamin E level of the Intervention group remained high but that of the Control group decreased, although there was no significant difference between the two groups (2.77±1.56 mg/dL vs 2.37±1.07 mg/dL, P>0.05). No patient had the serum level of less than 0.5 mg/dL at any time point (reference range (0.59-6.45) mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in serum vitamin E level between the two groups within 30 days after birth.The healthy breast-feeding premature infants were not vitamin E deficient.Thus Vitamin E supplementation is not necessary for healthy breast-feeding premature infants.
