Prevention for Preemies
In an average week in Texas, 1,002 babies are born preterm, which can cause illness and disability. Premature birth also can lead to developmental delays, including vision and hearing impairments.
Richard Leff, Pharm.D., and Claudia Meek, Ph.D., at the Pediatric Pharmacology Research and Development Center, a School of Pharmacy Center for Research Excellence located at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, have collaborated with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-funded Pediatric Pharmacology Research Units and Neonatal Research Network to examine the use of inositol to prevent blindness often caused by the aggressive treatment needed to save the lives’ of preterm infants.
Inositol, a six-carbon sugar alcohol, is an essential nutrient required by human cells for growth and survival. Because preterm infants are born with lower than normal levels of inositol, giving the nutrient intravenously after birth, could make a significant difference in preventing retinopathy of prematurity.
Using equipment designed to analyze inositol from very small blood samples obtained from premature babies, Leff and his team are working with doctors to determine the optimal effective dose of inositol for infants.
