Nutritional assessment in preterm infants with special reference to body composition

In recent years, improvements in care have significantly improved survival in preterm and, particularily, the very low birth weight infant (VLBW). While immediate survival can be directly related to pulmonary maturity, several studies stress the importance of timely and adequate nutrition in these high-risk infants on a short- and long-term [1]. Yet, nutritional support remains a very controversial issue in these high-risk infants. Early provision of adequate intakes may be limited by clinical instability and immaturity. At the same time, nutritional requirements and methods of nutritional assessment are not well defined. The aim of this paper is to outline some of the methods used during n…

Analysis of weight gain composition determined in preterm infants with Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

Analysis of weight gain composition determined in preterm infants with Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

Gender influence on body composition in preterm infants fed human milk or preterm formula

Weight Gain Composition in Preterm Infants with Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry

Whole body composition was investigated using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry in 54 healthy preterm infants, birth weight < 1750 g, who were fed fortified human milk (n = 20) and preterm formula (n = 34) when full enteral feeding was attained and then again 3 wk later at around the time of discharge. Weight gain composition was calculated from the difference between the earlier and later measurement. The minimal detectable changes in whole body composition over time according to the variance of the population (within groups of 20 infants) and the minimal detectable changes according to the dietary intervention (between two groups of 20 infants) were determined at 5% significance and 80% po…

Bone mineral metabolism in the micropremie

Environmental factors, nutritional supplies, hormonal status, diseases, and treatments appear to affect postnatal skeletal growth and mineralization in VLBW infants. Compared with their term counterparts, ELBW infants are at risk of postnatal growth deficiency and osteopenia at the time of hospital discharge. From recent data, DXA is becoming one of the reference techniques to evaluate mineral status, whole-body composition, and effects of dietary manipulations on weight gain composition and mineral accretion in preterm infants. Weight gain and length increases need to be evaluated carefully during the first weeks of life, in the intensive care unit and out of it, in the step down unit. Nut…