Abstract
Undernutrition due to inadequate energy intake and poor energy reserves is a major problem in ELBW infants who require prolonged mechanical ventilation. It is probable that raised TEE in these babies contributes further to the undernutrition but studies by indirect calorimetry are not possible. Our aim was to use the doubly labelled water method of TEE measurement in ELBW infants having prolonged ventilation. This method allows calculation of CO2 production rate from the disappearance from the body of the stable isotopes deuterium and oxygen-18, and thus calculation of TEE.
TEE was determined in 8 ventilator dependent ELBW infants (mean gestational age 24.9w, mean birthweight 760g) on 3 occasions. Energy intakes were calculated from exact records of enteral and parenteral intake. Results below are mean (SD).
Undernutrition in the first 10 weeks of life of sick ELBW infants is due both to inadequate energy intake and raised TEE. Inadequate energy storage will not allow normal growth in these babies. Greater clinical priority should be given to improving the nutritional intake of the ELBW infant.
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Wilson, D., Scrimgeour, C., Halliday, H. et al. TOTAL ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TEE) IN VENTILATOR DEPENDENT EXTREMELY-LOW-BIRTHWEIGHT (ELBW) INFANTS. Pediatr Res 32, 631 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00161
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00161