The role of tocopherol in oxygen-induced retinopathy: kitten model.

The effect of tocopherol (vitamin E) on oxygen-induced retinopathy was studied in 75 kittens following the development of a 12-point scoring system to quantitate the degree of retinopathy seen at three weeks. The tocopherol was found to be beneficial when given daily from the day of birth (P less than .0001) with oxygen exposures of two to three days (79% FiO2) beginning on day 3. Caution is urged in applying these data to humans because (1) hepatosplenomegaly was noted in the treated animals, and (2) the kitten model for oxygen-induced retinopathy is not entirely satisfactory, Pediatrics, 59:998-1005 1977, RETROLENTAL FIBROPLASIA, OXYGEN TOXICITY, VITAMIN E, RETINOPATHY, KITTEN.