Characterization of chylomicron in preterm infants.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the chylomicron fraction of preterm infants at birth and during the early postnatal period. Methods The subjects consisted of 133 infants (81 boys and 52 girls): 74 were term infants born at 37-41 weeks of gestation and 59 were preterm infants born at 29-36 weeks of gestation. Cholesterol and triglyceride in the chylomicron fraction were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results Compared with term infants, preterm infants had higher cholesterol and lower triglyceride in the chylomicron fraction, both in cord blood and at 1 month after birth. Thus, the chylomicron triglyceride/cholesterol ratio was significantly lower in preterm infants than in term infants in cord blood and at 1 month of age. On single regression analysis the chylomicron triglyceride/cholesterol ratio correlated positively with gestational age at birth (r = 0.331, P = 0.0003) and at 1 month (r = 0.221, P = 0.0119). Conclusions Preterm infants have a less-lipidated chylomicron composition at birth and at 1 month of age. Some prenatal factors may persist to influence chylomicron lipidation during the early postnatal period.