TY - JOUR
T1 - Feeding the premature infant after hospital discharge
T2 - Growth and biochemical responses
AU - Bhatia, Jatinder
AU - Rassin, David K.
N1 - Funding Information:
The protein requirement of premature infants during the first few weeks of life is still a subject of considerable controversy. Nonetheless, enterally fed premature infants are generally fed formulas with a relatively higher protein and energy content (2.4 to 3.0 gm/100 kcal; 81 kcal/dl) than "term" infant formulas provide (2.2 gin/100 kcal; 67 kcal/ dl), or are fed human milk with some form of fortification. The "preterm" infant formulas are provided until the infants achieve a body weight of 1800 to 2000 gm, at which time a term infant formula is introduced in anticipation of hospital discharge. The term formulas usually contain 1.5 gm protein per deciliter with a whey-to-casein protein ratio of either 60:40 or 18:82. Relatively little attention has been paid to the requirements of the premature infant or to the quality of protein fed after hospital discharge. In a recent report, premature infants fed whey-or casein-predominant Submitted for publication Aug. 16, 1990; accepted Oct. 22, 1990. Supported by a grant from Ross Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio, and by National Institutes of Health grant No. HD22828. Presented in part at the Southern Society for Pediatric Research meetings, New Orleans, La., February 1988. Reprint requests: Jatinder Bhatia, MB,BS, Perinatal Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550. 9/20/26342 formulas did not differ in growth or biochemical responses after hospital discharge. ~ The protein content of both preterm and term human milk 2, 3 decreases with increasing duration of lactation, and for term infants, at least, it has been suggested that the protein content of currently available formulas be reduced to amounts closer to those found in human milk. 47 We conducted the present study to determine whether appropriate growth and biochemical responses of premature infants, from the time of hospital discharge to 16 weeks after dis-
PY - 1991/4
Y1 - 1991/4
N2 - We conducted a double-blinded, randomized trial in premature infants after hospital discharge to test the hypotheses that growth and biochemical responses in those fed a formula with a reduced protein content (1.3 gm/dl) would be similar to those in infants fed a standard infant formula (protein 1.5 gm/dl). Twenty low birth weight infants were followed for 16 weeks from the time of hospital discharge. Growth (weight, length, and head circumference) and biochemical responses (total protein, prealbumin, retinol-binding protein, and blood urea nitrogen values) were similar in the two groups of infants. Plasma amino acids reflected the differences in protein intakes and were similar to previously reported values for premature infants fed human milk or formula. These results demonstrate similar growth and biochemical responses in preterm infants fed a standard infant formula and a formula with a protein content closer to that of human milk.
AB - We conducted a double-blinded, randomized trial in premature infants after hospital discharge to test the hypotheses that growth and biochemical responses in those fed a formula with a reduced protein content (1.3 gm/dl) would be similar to those in infants fed a standard infant formula (protein 1.5 gm/dl). Twenty low birth weight infants were followed for 16 weeks from the time of hospital discharge. Growth (weight, length, and head circumference) and biochemical responses (total protein, prealbumin, retinol-binding protein, and blood urea nitrogen values) were similar in the two groups of infants. Plasma amino acids reflected the differences in protein intakes and were similar to previously reported values for premature infants fed human milk or formula. These results demonstrate similar growth and biochemical responses in preterm infants fed a standard infant formula and a formula with a protein content closer to that of human milk.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0022-3476(05)83371-2
DO - 10.1016/S0022-3476(05)83371-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 2007923
AN - SCOPUS:0025727753
SN - 0022-3476
VL - 118
SP - 515
EP - 519
JO - The Journal of Pediatrics
JF - The Journal of Pediatrics
IS - 4 PART 1
ER -