Folic acid status in premature infants.

Vanier, T. M.; Tyas, J. F.

doi:10.1136/adc.42.221.57

Cited by 30 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…The practice of routine supplementation of folic acid in preterm infants is based on studies done before the era of modern preterm formula milks and breast milk fortifiers [2][3][4][5] . Ek and Magnus [3] demonstrated that premature infants not having additional folic acid had significantly lower red cell folate concentrations compared to their counterparts who received 65 g of additional folic acid per day.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An increased transfer of folate to the fetus during the last weeks of pregnancy [2] results in higher red cell folate in both preterm and full-term infants compared to adults [3][4][5] . In studies done in the 1970s and 1980s, this high folate concentration was sustained in breastfed term infants [3] but fell significantly in the first 2-3 months of life in preterm infants regardless of the mode of feeding [4] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Red Cell Folate and Plasma Homocysteine in Preterm Infants

Samanth

Misra²,

Gordon³

et al. 2007

Neonatology

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Background: The supplementation of preterm infants with folic acid is routine practice in many neonatal units. However, the advent of preterm formula milks and breast milk fortifiers have increased folic acid intake. We measured red cell folate in preterm infants who received preterm formula milks and breast milk fortifiers to determine whether additional folic acid supplementation was still required. A potential benefit of folic acid supplementation is reduction of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy). tHcy appears to have a linear association with the risk of atherothrombotic vascular events in adults but its role in intraventricular haemorrhage and associated white matter damage in preterm infants is not known. As there is little information regarding tHcy in preterm infants, we also measured tHcy in this study. Methods: Red cell folate and tHcy were measured at 1 and 4 weeks of age and before discharge in 28 consecutive infants <34 weeks’ gestation. Factors which may have affected folate and homocysteine status were recorded. Results:Red cell folate ranged between 266 and 1,513 ng/ml and deficiency (<140 ng/ml) was not observed in any sample. Red cell folate concentration tended to increase with increasing age. tHcy ranged from 0.8 to 12.2 µmol/l and fell within the ‘normal’ range for fasting adults. Conclusions: Preterm formula milks and breast milk fortifiers provide sufficient folic acid to prevent folate deficiency in preterm infants. Although tHcy fell within the ‘normal’ range for fasting adults, more research is needed to determine optimal concentration of tHcy for preterm infants.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Red Cell Folate and Plasma Homocysteine in Preterm Infants

Samanth

Misra²,

Gordon³

et al. 2007

Neonatology

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“…Serum blood levels offolic acid in premature infants are comparable to full-term levels at birth, but in a series of 20 such infants, two-thirds showed evidence of folate deficiency at 2-3 months (Vanier and Tyas, 1967).…”

Section: Folatementioning

confidence: 90%

Nutrition and Pregnancy

Rosso

Cramoy

1979

Nutrition

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“…The clinical results of folic acid supple mentation in LBW infants are somewhat controversial since a clear hematological re sponse has not always been seen [54][55][56][57][58], However, it has been shown that a test dose of folic acid given to newborn infants disap pears from the blood more rapidly than in older subjects without any increase in the amount excreted in the urine [47], This has been interpreted as evidence of an increased requirement of this vitamin.…”

Section: Prematurity' and Other Special Clinical Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vitamins and the Premature

Orzalesi

1987

Neonatology

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Vitamins are organic compounds essential in small amounts for metabolic functions. Since they cannot be synthesized in the body they must be supplied with the diet. While fat-soluble vitamins cross the placenta by single and/or facilitated diffusion the water-soluble vitamins are actively transported with the exception of vitamin C. An adequate supply of fat-soluble vitamins to the fetus seems to be dependent on maternal blood levels during gestation. On the contrary, the transfer of water-soluble vitamins is relatively independent of the levels in maternal blood. Due to their immaturity preterm and low birth weight infants require higher dosages of some vitamins compared to healthy full-term newborns.

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Folic acid status in premature infants.

Cited by 30 publications

References 5 publications

Red Cell Folate and Plasma Homocysteine in Preterm Infants

Red Cell Folate and Plasma Homocysteine in Preterm Infants

Nutrition and Pregnancy

Vitamins and the Premature

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