Retinol Status in Preterm Infants and Mothers
Retinol Status in Preterm Infants and Mothers
Retinol and retinol binding protein were studied in the umbilical cord blood of 44 preterm
 infants with gestation age of < 30 weeks. Serum retinol and RBP levels were determined by
 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The rate of transplacental retinol passage was calculated.
 The demographic data of mother and baby, vitamin use in the mother, antenatal steroid
 application and diseases diagnosed during pregnancy were recorded. An evaluation was made of
 the retinol, RBP and factors of the mother and baby affecting the transplacental retinol
 passage. The relationship between retinol and retinol binding protein levels and neonatal
 mortality and morbidity was investigated.
Study Population Babies born at this hospital with a gestational week of <30 were included in
 the study. Patients were excluded in the presence of a major abnormality or known congenital
 metabolic disease in the mother or baby, and the presence of chronic liver, kidney or
 gastrointestinal system disease in the mother, or if the family did not give consent. A
 record was made of the gender and birth weight of the babies and gestation week, maternal
 age, gravidity, status of vitamin intake and use of vitamin A during pregnancy, and antenatal
 steroid administration in the mothers. A record was made of the presence of early membrane
 rupture (EMR) diagnosed during the present pregnancy of the mother, preeclampsia/eclampsia,
 pregnancy-induced hypertension, urinary infection, gestational diabetes mellitus and anemia,
 if present. We recorded also neonatal mortality and morbidity such as respiratory distress
 syndrome, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage,
 bronchopulmonary dysplasia,

 Sampling and Test Study Method Umbilical cord blood was drawn at birth in all babies included
 in the study by experienced individuals using a vacutainer. Approximately 6 ml of venous
 blood was also drawn from the antecubital region of the mothers immediately after the birth
 in a biochemistry tube, and centrifuged for 10 minutes at 4500 rpm after the completion of
 coagulation, and the sera were separated. Serum samples were frozen and stored at -80° until
 the analysis was performed. For the analysis, serum samples were thawed in appropriate
 circumstances and all analyzes were performed at the Medical Biochemistry Laboratory of
 Atatürk University at a single session.

 In the serum samples, the retinol levels were analyzed using ELISA kits from the Bioassay
 Technology Laboratory ( E1548 Hu Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China), RBP levels were analyzed using
 ELISA kits of Elabscience (E-EL-H1581 Texas USA) following the standard protocol suggested by
 the manufacturer at the Dynex automated ELISA reading device (Dynex Technologies
 Headquarters, Chantilly, USA). The measurement range of the kit for retinol and RBP was
 2ng/ml- 800 ng/ml and 0,07 - 100 ng/mL, respectively.

 The formula "umbilical cord retinol/maternal retinol x100" was used for the calculation of
 placental retinol passage rate in order to show the percentage of maternal retinol passing to
 the umbilical cord .

 Retinol deficiency was evaluated according to the WHO data. A level of < 20 µg/dl was
 accepted as a deficiency. The level of deficiency was accepted as < 200 ng/ml since the unit
 used in this present study was ng/ml.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Babies born l with a gestational week of <30 and their mothers were included in the
 study.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients were excluded in the presence of a major abnormality or known congenital
 metabolic disease in the mother or baby, and the presence of chronic liver, kidney or
 gastrointestinal system disease in the mother, or if the family did not give consent.