J Korean Soc Neonatol.  2006 May;13(1):90-96.

Serum Amino Acid Levels in Term and Preterm Neonates

• Youn YS
• Kim SZ
• Chang MY

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to analyze the level of serum amino acids according to the sex, birth weight, gestational age in neonates.
METHODS
Amino acid was measured by tandem mass spectrometry from the dried blood spots. We measured serum alanine, citrulline, glycine, methionine, ornitine, tyrosine, valine, leucine, phenylalanine levels in 172 neonates admitted to the NICU at Chungnam National University hospital from March 2003 to September 2003 and the data was analyzed according to the sex, birth weight, gestational age.
RESULTS
There were no differences of serum amino acid level between term and preterm neonates according to the sex. However, there were significant statistical differences in serum amino acid level according to the birth weight (> or =2,500 g vs. <2,500 g) and gestational age (> or =37 weeks vs. <37 weeks). The level of alanine, citrulline, glycine, methionine, ornitine, tyrosine, valine, leucine was low in under 2,500 g (P<0.05), and in preterm neonates (P<0.05). Especially, preterm neonates under 1,800 g had low levels of valine and leucine (P<0.05). The serum levels of methionine, ornitine, valine, leucine were low in neonates with gestational age of less than 34 weeks (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Awareness of low serum amino acid levels in preterm neonates is essential to improve nutritional supplements and catch-up growth.

Keyword

Serum amino acid; Term; Preterm; Neonates

MeSH Terms

Alanine
Amino Acids
Birth Weight
Chungcheongnam-do
Citrulline
Gestational Age
Glycine
Humans
Infant, Newborn*
Leucine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Tyrosine
Valine
Alanine
Amino Acids
Citrulline
Glycine
Leucine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Tyrosine
Valine