Abstract
Two groups of premature infants were fed with isocaloric formulae. One group, 11 babies (b), mean gestational age 32 weeks(w), mean birth weight 1600 gm (g), received a preterm formula. This is an attempt by dietary industries to provide a food closer to the nutritional needs of premature neonates (mean protein intake 3.36 gm/kg/day). The other group (10b, 32w, 1706g) was nourished with an adapted formula, which is recommended for full-term neonates by the ESPGAN (2.88 gm/kg/die). No statistically significant differences were found in the anthropometric parameters between the two groups of infants during this study. Moreover, the time taken to reach the weight of 2100 gm was the same: 30.5 days for the adapted formula fed group and 30.9 days in those fed with the preterm formula. The total length and head circumference at the end of the fourth week were similar in the two groups of infants. The preterm formula fed group presented a higher total blood protein during the second week (5.35 gm/dl versus 5.11-p<0.05 and a higher BUN during the third week (0.13 gm/dl versus 0.08-p<0.01). Serum essential aminoacids/total aminoacids ratio is constantly higher in the infants fed with the richer proteic preterm formula. Our data show no definitive advantages for anthropometric or biochemical parameters regarding the use of the formula studied for the preterm infant in comparison to the adapted formula for the full term infant.
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Donzelli, F., Carnielli, V., Caprioglio, C. et al. ADAPTED AND PRETERM FORMULA: EFFECTS ON GROWTH AND AMINOACIDS METABOLISM IN LOW-BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS. Pediatr Res 22, 233 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00118
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00118