Reader TTS

ABSTRACT We have previously demonstrated, in vitro (Ped. Res. 10:429, 1976) by measuring O2 consumption and the products of lipid peroxidation(thiobarbituric acid reactants or TBA and diene

conjugates) that the oxidation of EFA (linoleic and (linolenic a.) is accelerated by exposure to light (460 nm), O2 and photosensitizing agents (bilirubin or methylene blue). This report

describes the phenomenon to also occur, in vivo, in premature infants on PT. METHODS: Seven premature infants while on PT for treatment of jaundice were serially tested during the first 3

days of PT for the concentration of linoleic acid (C18:2) and triene/tetraene ratio in the phospholipid and sterol ester fractions of the serum by gas liquid chromatography. Serum TBA and

diene conjugates were measured spectrophotometrically. RESULTS: During PT, there was a continuous fall in C18:2 concentration both in the phospholipid (−0.190±0.252 mg/dl/h) and sterol

(−0.372±0.580 mg/dl/h) fractions of their serum and the decay was greatest during the first 24 h of PT (−0.259 mg/dl/h in phospholipid and −0.543 mg/dl/h for sterol). The rate of decay of

C18:2 was doubled during PT, as compared to its spontaneous decay before PT (−0.088 mg/dl/h before, vs. −0.176 mg/dl/h during PT). There was also a simultaneous rise in triene/tetraene ratio

during PT, from 0.014 to 0.086, but none achieved critical EFA deficiency ratio level of 0.4. During PT, there was a rise in the conc. of products of lipid peroxidation: TBA= +0.005 OD/mg

C18:2 and diene conjugates= +0.075 OD/mg C18:2. None of the infants however showed clinical evidence of EFA despite chemical evidence of EFA decay. Furthermore, the decrease in conc. of

C18:2 during PT was prevented or corrected by the feeding of the infant. CONCLUSION: This study shows that chemical evidence of accelerated degradation of EFA (specifically C18:2) occurs in

premature infants on PT which is similar to what has been observed in vitro. Since the premature infant had been shown to be susceptible to the early development of EFA deficiency due to

poor nutritional intake, the possibility that the EFA deficiency can be further accelerated if PT is used should be seriously considered. ARTICLE PDF AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND

AFFILIATIONS * Wayne Stats Univ. Sch. of Med. Hutzel Hospital, Depts. of Pediatrics, Detroit, MI. Enrique M Ostrea Jr. & James E Balun Authors * Enrique M Ostrea Jr. View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * James E Balun View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND

PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Ostrea, E., Balun, J. 615 ACCELERATED DEGRADATION OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS (EFA) IN PREMATURE INFANTS ON

PHOTOTHERAPY (PT). _Pediatr Res_ 15 (Suppl 4), 543 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00628 Download citation * Issue Date: 01 April 1981 * DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00628 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is

not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative