Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Timepoints for Introduction of Standardized Complementary Food in Preterm Infants |
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| Authors: | Nadja Haiden Margarita Thanhaeuser Fabian Eibensteiner Mercedes Huber-Dangl Melanie Gsoellpointner Robin Ristl Bettina Kroyer Sophia Brandstetter Margit Kornsteiner-Krenn Christoph Binder Alexandra Thajer Bernd Jilma |
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| Institution: | 1.Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.G.); (B.J.);2.Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.T.); (F.E.); (M.H.-D.); (S.B.); (M.K.-K.); (C.B.); (A.T.);3.Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (R.R.); (B.K.) |
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| Abstract: | In term infants it is recommended to introduce solids between the 17th and 26th week of life, whereas data for preterm infants are missing. In a prospective, two-arm interventional study we investigated longitudinal growth of VLBW infants after early (10–12th) or late (16–18th) week of life, corrected for term, introduction of standardized complementary food. Primary endpoint was height at one year of age, corrected for term, and secondary endpoints were other anthropometric parameters such as weight, head circumference, BMI, and z-scores. Among 177 infants who underwent randomization, the primary outcome could be assessed in 83 (93%) assigned to the early and 83 (94%) to the late group. Mean birthweight was 941 (SD ± 253) g in the early and 932 (SD ± 256) g in the late group, mean gestational age at birth was 27 + 1/7 weeks in both groups. Height was 74.7 (mean; SD ± 2.7) cm in the early and 74.4 cm (mean; SD ± 2.8; n.s.) cm in the late group at one year of age, corrected for term. There were no differences in anthropometric parameters between the study groups except for a transient effect on weight z-score at 6 months. In preterm infants, starting solids should rather be related to neurological ability than to considerations of nutritional intake and growth. |
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| Keywords: | preterm infant VLBW infant complementary feeding introduction of solids anthropometry growth height weight BMI head circumference |
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