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VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENTATION AND THE RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY
Author(s) -
Johnson Lois,
Schaffer David,
Quinn Graham,
Goldstein Donald,
Mathis Mari,
Otis Chari,
Boggs Thomas R.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1982.tb31285.x
Subject(s) - retinopathy of prematurity , medicine , blindness , incidence (geometry) , pediatrics , disease , stage (stratigraphy) , vitamin e , gestational age , pregnancy , optometry , genetics , biology , paleontology , biochemistry , chemistry , physics , optics , antioxidant
The effect of high-dosage E treatment (Rx) initiated at the stage of 3-plus active disease (target serum E levels, 5-6 mg/dl) was evaluated by a standardized scoring system of visual morbidity at the one to two year eye exam among infants cared for in the University of Pennsylvania Neonatal Complex (1976-1978). The incidence of legal blindness in both eyes or worse was decreased from 71 to 40% in E Rx (n = 10) as compared to non-E Rx (n = 14) infants, and the number of infants with minimal visual morbidity was increased. Pilot studies (1972-76; target serum E level, 1.5 and 3.0 mg/dl) of the prophylactic effect of E Rx from birth on showed a decrease in mean severity of acute stage disease and a decrease in sequelae at one to two years. A strikingly difference in visual morbidity following resolved low-grade ROP was seen when prestudy infants (1968-72) who were fed early iron supplements and given formulas with low E:PUFA ratios were compared to non-E Rx as well as to E Rx 1972-76 infants. Vitamin E seems to exert a beneficial effect at all stages of ROP, perhaps because of its broadly based regulatory role.