Benefits of early enteral nutrition in extremely low birth weight infants

Singapore Medical Journal
Aniko ManeaRadu Emil Iacob

Abstract

Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (i.e. preterm infants weighing < 1,000 g) often present with morphofunctional multiple organ immaturity. This study aimed to determine whether early enteral feeding improves digestive tolerance, and whether there is a difference in growth between ELBW infants who were fed with formula and those who were fed with breast milk. This study was conducted from 2012-2013 and involved 34 ELBW infants from the Preterm Neonatology Clinic of the 'Louis Turcanu' Clinical Children's Hospital Timisoara, Romania. Early enteral nutrition was introduced for all the infants - Group I was fed with formula, while Group II was fed with breast milk. Infants in each group were given their designated type of milk (formula/breast milk), using the same feeding method and the same volume rate advancement. They were monitored for any evidence of digestive intolerance (i.e. clinical signs of infection and necrotising enterocolitis [NEC]). Their growth curves and signs of infection were also monitored. The average weight gained per week was greater among the infants in Group II than in Group I (120.83 g vs 97.27 g). The incidence of infection was 100% in Group I and 66.6% in Group II. Two of the infants in Group I d...Continue Reading

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