Vitamin E Levels in Preterm and Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#gestational-age #humans #infant #infant-newborn #vitamin-e

Vitamin E Levels in Preterm and Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review

Assunção et al., 2022 | Nutrients | Systematic Review

Citation

Assunção Débora Gabriela Fernandes, Silva Lorena Thalia Pereira da, ... Ribeiro Karla Danielly da Silva. Vitamin E Levels in Preterm and Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2022-May-28;14(11). doi:10.3390/nu14112257

Abstract

Vitamin E deficiency (VED) is associated with clinical repercussions in preterm newborns (PTN), but low levels are also found in full-term newborns (TN). As this inadequacy can compromise neurogenesis in childhood, studies are needed to assess whether there is a difference in vitamin E status among newborns according to gestational age to provide support for neonatal monitoring protocols. This systematic review presents a synthesis of the available information on the vitamin E status among PTN and TN. The review was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Observational studies that evaluated alpha-tocopherol levels were searched in the databases reported in the protocol registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021165152). The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the methodological quality. Overall, 1809 articles were retrieved; 10 were included in the systematic review. In the PTN, the alpha-tocopherol levels ranged from 3.9 to 8.5 mmol/L, while in TN, they were 4.9 to 14.9 mmol/L, and VED ranged from 19% to 100% in newborns. Despite substantial heterogeneity in research methodology and VED classification, the results suggest that the alpha-tocopherol levels among preterm and full-term newborns is below the recommended levels. Our findings demonstrate that further investigations are needed to standardize this classification and to monitor vitamin E status in birth and postnatal with adequate bias control.

Key Findings

Our findings demonstrate that further investigations are needed to standardize this classification and to monitor vitamin E status in birth and postnatal with adequate bias control.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition deficiency

MeSH Terms

  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin E Deficiency
  • alpha-Tocopherol

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: vitamin-e

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09