RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BONE MINERALIZATION AND ALUMINUM IN THE HEALTHY INFANT

Objective: This prospective study was designed to assess the relations hip between variations of serum Aluminium levels and bone mineralizati on, which is one of its target tissues, in healthy premature (PT) and fullterm (FT) infants. Study design: Lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) studied by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry w ere compared to serum aluminium (S-AI), Ca (S-Ca), P (S-P), osteocalci n, alkaline phosphatase activity (S-AP), and 25 OH Vitamin D (25 OH D) by simple and multiple regressions in healthy PT (n = 44) following t heir hospital discharge and FT (n = 82). PT (gestational age at birth (mean +/- 1 s.d.) 32 +/- 2 weeks) and FT were 43 +/- 39 and 36 +/- 32 weeks old respectively. Results: In PT multiple stepwise regression an alysis including gestational age at birth, postconceptional age and po stnatal age displayed only a significant correlation between BMD or BM C and postnatal age and a negative one with S-Al. In FT correlations w ere found between BMD or BMC and age and S-Ca. Conclusions: In PT, var iations in blood Al are associated with developmental delays. Care sho uld be taken to lessen Al levels, even in healthy PT babies.