Vitamin B6 Vitamer Concentrations in Cerebrospinal Fluid Differ Between Preterm and Term Newborn Infants
Pediatrics, 07/11/2012
Albersen M et al. – In cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of newborn infants, pyridoxal (PL), pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), pyridoxic acid (PA), and pyridoxamine (PM) are present, and concentrations are strongly dependent on postmenstrual age. These results indicate that vitamin B6 homeostasis in brain differs between preterm and term newborns. These results should be taken into account for diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy and vitamin B6 deficiency in newborn infants.
Methods- B6 vitamer concentrations were determined in 69 CSF samples of 36 newborn infants (26 born preterm and 10 born term) by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
- CSF samples, taken from a subcutaneous intraventricular reservoir, were bedside frozen and protected from light.
- Concentrations of pyridoxal (PL), pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), pyridoxic acid (PA), and pyridoxamine (PM) in preterm newborns (postmenstrual age 30–37 weeks) were at least twice as high as in older newborns (postmenstrual age >42 weeks).
- Pyridoxine and pyridoxamine phosphate concentrations were below limits of quantification in all newborns.
- In CSF of 2 very preterm newborns (postmenstrual age <30 weeks), significant amounts of pyridoxine were present besides high concentrations of PL, PA, and PM, whereas PLP concentrations were relatively low. B6 vitamers in CSF were positively correlated, especially PA, PLP, and PL.
