[Recent aspects of vitamin E in pediatrics].

New aspects of vitamin E metabolism have demonstrated new indications for its use in pediatrics. With respect to the retrolental fibroplasia of prematures under intensive care it can be stated that vitamin E does not necessarily prevent this complication but surely can decrease its severity. For the intensive care of newborns it is of importance that vitamin E is apparently able to decrease the frequency of intraventricular hemorrhage. The effect of vitamin E on the metabolism of prostaglandins opens new insights in the understanding of thrombocyte aggregation and atherogenesis. There may be a possible indication for the substitution of vitamin E in patients with diabetes mellitus type I.