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Method of home tube feeding and 2–3-year neurodevelopmental outcome

Journal of Perinatology (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

To describe the Bayley Scales of Infant Development 3rd Edition (Bayley-III) of infants discharged home receiving tube feeds.

Study design

Retrospective review of infants discharged with nasogastric or gastrostomy tube feeds and completed a Bayley-III assessment at 2–3-years of age through a neonatal follow-up program. Results were reported using descriptive statistics.

Results

Of infants discharged with nasogastric feeds, median Bayley-III scores were in the low-average to average range, and full oral feeds were achieved in 75%. Of infants discharged with gastrostomy tube feeds, median Bayley-III scores were in the extremely low range, and full oral feeds were achieved in 36%. Our data set did not demonstrate a distinct patient demographic that correlated to the type of feeding tube at discharge.

Conclusion

Neurodevelopmental outcome at 2–3 years does not appear to be negatively impacted by the decision to discharge an infant from the NICU with home NG feedings.

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Fig. 1: Home feeding algorithm.
Fig. 2: Bayley-III scores at 2–3 years of age based on feeding methods.

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Data availability

The data used to support the findings of this study is available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Allison Fisher, Con Yee Ling & Tara L. DuPont

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Anna Ermarth

  3. Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Kristin Brinker

Authors
  1. Allison Fisher
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  2. Anna Ermarth
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  3. Con Yee Ling
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  4. Kristin Brinker
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  5. Tara L. DuPont
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Contributions

AF, AE, CYL, KB, and TLD designed the study. AF and TLD acquired the data and performed analysis and interpretation. AF, AE, CYL, KB, and TLD wrote the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tara L. DuPont.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Ethical approval with a waiver of consent was obtained from the University of Utah Institutional Review Board.

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Fisher, A., Ermarth, A., Ling, C.Y. et al. Method of home tube feeding and 2–3-year neurodevelopmental outcome. J Perinatol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-02013-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-02013-2

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