Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and Iron Balance of Parenterally Fed Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants Receiving a Trace Element Supplement

To evaluate a pediatric trace element supplement (Ped‐El, Pharmacia) 18 metabolic balance studies were completed in 13 infants (mean birth weight 909 ± 67 g, × ± SEM; mean gestational age 27.2 ± 1 weeks) who received total parenteral nutrition. The supplement supplied 40 μg/kg/day of zinc resulting in negative retention of 226 μg/kg/day. Copper infused at 20 μg/kg/day led to a positive retention of 8 μg/kg/ day and an increase in serum Cu (p < 0.05) not related to Cu intakes. Manganese infused at 40 μg/kg/day was nearly all retained (88 ± 16% retention). Iron infused at 120 μg/kg/day led to a positive retention of 93 μg/kg/day. Although plasma ferritin and percent transferrin saturation were elevated, only plasma Fe values were correlated with Fe intake. This trace element supplement does not appear suitable for very low birth weight preterm infants. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 12:382–386, 1988)