The Vitamin B₁, B₂ and C Content in Urine of Premature and Fullterm Newborn Infants

Abstract

Summary The daily excretion of vitamins B1, B2, and C was studied in 24 newborn full‐term infants during the three first days of life, and in 15 premature infants on three successive days of treatment. No correlation was observed between the mothers' state of health during pregnancy, the number of previous births and the presence of certain diseases, with the daily excretion of vitamin B1, B2 and C in the urine of newborn full‐term infants.

Urinary Excretion of Pyruvic Acid and Lactic Acid in Premature and Full‐Term Newborn Infants

“…Although the premature and full-term infants of our material were not of exactly the same age, it may be concluded that premature infants excrete more pyruvic and lactic acid in the urine than do fullterm infants, calculated per kg of body weight. This observation agrees with the high values obtained for pyruvic acid in the blood of premature infants [5,15,211, and together with the observation that premature infants excrete practically no thiamine a t all [6], it may be considered a sign of the overcharge of the aerobic metabolism and the preponderance of the anaerobic metabolism. The full-term newborn generally excrete thiamine in considerable amounts [6], and the correlation between the high values for blood pyruvic acid and B,-avitaminosis is well known [e.g.…”