Clinical Chemistry, Vol 33, 1783-1787, Copyright © 1987 by American Association for Clinical Chemistry

Alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in the plasma of preterm and term infants: serial measurements and clinical correlations

PM Crofton and R Hume
Department of Paediatric Biochemistry, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, U.K.

Serial measurements of the bone and fetal intestinal isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) in the plasma of 43 term and 43 preterm infants, from birth to six weeks later, indicate that the bone isoenzyme gradually increases over this period in both preterm and term infants fed with unsupplemented commercial formulas. Preterm babies given formula supplemented with calcium (with or without additional phosphate) had significantly lower bone isoenzyme activities for most of the study period. The concentrations of fetal intestinal isoenzyme increased, under the stimulation of milk feeding, from generally undetectable at birth to a peak during the first two weeks postpartum, and then declined. This increase was highly significantly negatively correlated with gestational age, the preterm infants having a much higher and more prolonged increase in this isoenzyme than did term infants. Unlike the adult isoenzyme, fetal intestinal alkaline phosphatase in plasma showed no relationship with blood group status.

The following articles in journals at HighWire Press have cited this article:

				J. F. Mouser and G. S. Sacks Vitamin D and Minerals: How Much for Preterm Infants During a Multivitamin Shortage? Nutr Clin Pract, April 1, 1999; 14(2): 51 - 57. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W. W. K. Koo, P. Succop, and K. M. Hambidge Serum Alkaline Phosphatase and Serum Zinc Concentrations in Preterm Infants With Rickets and Fractures Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, November 1, 1989; 143(11): 1342 - 1345. [Abstract] [PDF]