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There is a paucity of data about water soluble vitamin status in low birthweight infants. Therefore, the authors' objective was to assess current feeding protocols.

There is a paucity of data about water soluble vitamin status in low birthweight infants. Therefore, the authors' objective was to assess current feeding protocols. The authors measured serum concentrations for riboflavin, pyridoxine, and vitamin C and functional assays for thiamine and riboflavin longitudinally in 16 premature infants (birthweight, 1,336 ± 351 g; gestational age, 30 ± 2.5 weeks) before receiving nutrition (time 1, 2 ± 1 days), during supplemental or parenteral nutrition (time 2, 16 ± 10 days) and while receiving full oral feedings (time 3, 32 ± 15 days). In plasma, vitamin C was measured colorimetrically, and riboflavin and pyridoxine were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The erythrocyte transketolase test as a functional evaluation of thiamine and the erythrocyte glutathione reductase test for riboflavin were measured colorimetrically. At time 1, nutrient intake of vitamins were negligible because infants were receiving intravenous glucose and electrolytes only. Intakes differed between time 2 and time 3 for thiamine (510 ± 280 and 254 ± 115 µg · kg -1· d -1, respectively), riboflavin (624 ± 305 and 371 ± 193 µg · kg -1· d -1, respectively), and pyridoxine (394 ± 243 and 173 ± 85 µg/100 kcal, respectively), but not for vitamin C (32 ± 17 and 28 ± 12 mg · kg -1· d -1, respectively). Blood levels at times 1, 2, and 3 were for thiamine (4.9 ± 2.7%, 3.3 ± 6.6%, and 4.1 ± 9% erythrocyte transketolase test, respectively), riboflavin (0.91 ± 0.31, 0.7 ± 0.3, 0.91 ± 0.18 erythrocyte glutathione reductase test, respectively), riboflavin (19.5 ± 17, 23.3 ± 8.6, 17.6 ± 10 ng/mL, respectively), pyridoxine (32 ± 25, 40 ± 16, 37 ± 26 ng/mL, respectively), and vitamin C (5.2 ± 3, 5 ± 2.2, 10 ± 5 µg/mL, respectively) and did not differ at those times. Current intakes of these vitamins, except for possibly vitamin C, during parenteral and enteral nutrition seem to result in adequate plasma concentrations and normal functional indices.