Prealbumin as a biochemical marker of nutritional adequacy in premature infants

To determine whether serum prealbumin would be useful in identifying adequacy of protein and calorie intake in premature infants, 17 infants between 26 and 33 weeks gestational age were studied throughout hospitalization. Serial anthropometric measurements, nutritional intake, and serum prealbumin concentrations were correlated. When mean intake of calories and protein was lower than 100 kcal/kg/day and less than 2 gm/kg/day, respectively, there was a significant difference in mean prealbumin values, compared with those in infants with a higher intake (P much less than 0.001). For infants with birth weights of 1000 gm or less, prealbumin correlated with protein intake (r = 0.66) and calorie intake (r = 0.64). In these infants, when protein intake exceeded 2 gm/kg/day, prealbumin concentrations increased to values reported for full-term infants in the first months of life. There was no significant correlation between intake of calories or protein and prealbumin values for infants born weighing greater than 1000 gm. Anthropometric measurements did not correlate with protein or calorie intake. We conclude that prealbumin is a sensitive measure of protein and calorie intake in premature infants, and that the definition of adequate nutrition may be different for premature infants of different birth weights and at various postconceptional ages.     

早产儿营养支持新认识

当前,辅助生殖技术及产科监护治疗手段日益发展,低出生体重儿的出生率逐年上升,随之而来的早产儿营养问题已成为新生儿科医生面临的又一难题。有研究发现,极低出生体重儿生后第1周的营养供给甚至与远期认知发     

2010版早产儿肠内营养支持建议和早产儿营养需求建议介绍

2010年第50卷第1期[1]刊出欧洲儿科胃肠病、肝病和营养学会营养委员会(European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology,Hepatology and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition,ESPGAN)最新颁布的"2010版早产儿肠内营养支持的建议和早产儿营养需求建议".     

早产儿脑室周围-脑室内出血研究进展

脑室周围-脑室内出血(periventricular-intravent-ricular hemorrhage,PVH-IVH)是早产儿常见颅内病变,是导致早产儿死亡和伤残的重要原因之一[1]。既往认为严重神经系统后遗症主要发生于重度颅内出血患者,而轻度出血则预后良好。但近年研究结果表明,即便是那些无明显临床症状的     

Disorders of bone metabolism in premature infants

Extremely low birth weight infants are particularly prone to rickets (osteopenia) due to their rapid growth and to deficient intake of calcium and phosphate. In some premature infants suffering from phosphate depletion hypercalcemia syndrome may precede bone demineralisation. Additionally, the adverse effects of calciprivic drugs (phenytoin, phenobarbital, glucocorticoids, furosemide, heparin) contributing to the development of neonatal rickets are discussed. Phosphorus depleted or heparin treated experimental animals develop impairment of mineralisation as manifested by rickets or osteomalacia. Some clinical cases of neonatal rickets are reported and a dosage schedule for parenteral infusion of minerals is given.     

Measurements of bone turnover markers in premature infants

We determined the levels of circulating bone turnover markers in preterm infants during the first weeks of life. Twenty premature infants (mean gestational age 27+/-2.2 weeks, mean birth weight 894+/-231 g) hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Meir General Hospital, Israel, participated in the study. Measurements of bone turnover markers were performed at birth, and every week thereafter for an average follow-up of 11.2+/-0.7 weeks. Bone osteoblastic activity was assessed by measurements of circulating osteocalcin, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP) and the C-terminal procollagen peptide (PICP) levels. Bone resorption was assessed by measurements of serum levels of the carboxy-terminal cross-links telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP). All three markers of osteoblastic activity increased markedly and significantly during the first three weeks of life, and then continued to increase gradually until week 10 (p<0.01). Circulating ICTP levels increased in the first week of life and then decreased gradually throughout the follow-up (p<0.01). The study participants were divided into premature infants born at extremely low birth weight (ELBW: <1000 g, n=12) and very low birth weight (VLBW: 1000-1250 g, n=8). Osteocalcin (in weeks 2-5 of life), PICP (weeks 3-5), and ICTP levels (weeks 2-3) were significantly higher in VLBW preterms. These results suggest increased bone formation in premature infants in the first three months of life. The increased bone turnover in VLBW compared to ELBW premature infants may be the result of a generally higher morbidity in ELBW preterm infants in early stages of life.     

Extrauterine growth retardation in premature infants in Shanghai: a multicenter retrospective review

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) represents the degree of body growth and development decided by genes and by placental function. Extrauterine growth retardation/restriction (EUGR) refers to severe nutritional deficits during the first weeks of life that result in growth that is less than expected based on intrauterine growth rates (growth values ≤10th percentile of intrauterine growth expected in accordance with the estimated gestational age). The deficits affect not only weight but also head circumference and height. As is well known, a nutrition support team (NST) is a multidisciplinary team comprised of physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, and medical technologists who provide nutritional management. In this study, we review 2,015 premature infants (1,209 boys and 806 girls) from four hospitals in the Shanghai area from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2006, two of which had NSTs. The overall incidence of EUGR was 56.8% assessed by weight, while the incidence of IUGR was 26.1%. Higher incidence of EUGR was associated with lower birth weight, but higher gestational age. There was a significant relationship between EUGR incidence and NST availability (χ ² = 60.630, p < 0.001), though there was no similar finding for IUGR incidence. The incidence of EUGR was 44% in NST hospitals and 62.6% in non-NST hospitals. According to logistic regression, the following five factors were related to EUGR: male gender, gestational age at birth, birth weight, length of hospital stay, and NST availability. NSTs reduced the risk of EUGR by a magnitude of 0.47. EUGR remains a serious problem in premature infants in Shanghai, but NSTs can reduce EUGR incidence.     

液态奶喂养对早产儿营养状况的影响

研究液态奶喂养对胎龄＜ 36周早产儿营养状况的影响,并对早产儿喂养方式提出建议。方法2009年11月至2010年5月收住我科治疗的符合标准的95例早产儿研为究对象,将其分为两组,分别应用足月儿配方奶粉喂养（48例）及早产儿液态奶喂养（47例）,观察在达到全肠道营养前后两组早产儿的体质量、身长及头围增长速度,并作组间比较...