Abstract
Fat malbsorption is frequent in preterm infants fed either breast or formula milk and improves when part of milk fat is replaced by MCT. The metabolic fate of MCT is not well known in PT. Five PT (BW: 1771 ± 100 g; GA: 34 ± 1 wks; age at study: 24 ± 4 d) fed a formula containing 50% of fat as MCT were given a known amount of 13C-trioctanoin on the second day of a 3 day balance. Continuous indirect calorimetry was performed during the 24 hours following the 13C-MCT ingestion and energy expenditure, total carbohydrate, lipid and protein oxidation were determined. Continuous sampling of expired CO2 allowed 13C/12C ratio measurements over the 24 hour period and the amount of MCT oxidized was then derived. Results are shown in the table (per kg/d, m ± s.d.):
Elimination curves of 13C in expired CO2 were similar in all infants but were different in amplitude. Mean MCT oxidation was 27 ± 14% (range 6-43%) and accounted for 31% (range 7-47%) of the total fat oxidation. In conclusion, MCT oxidation shows considerable variations between PT infants. Furthermore no correlation with energy expenditure and with total fat oxidation is observed.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Putet, G., Thelin, A., Arnaud, M. et al. OXIDATIVE METABOLISM OF 13C MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDE (MCT) FED TO PRETERM INFANTS (PT). Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 344 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01508
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01508