Body composition, nutrition, and fluid balance during the first two weeks of life in preterm neonates weighing less than 1500 grams

doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(05)83390-6

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 118, Issue 4, Part 1, April 1991, Pages 615-620

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(05)83390-6 Get rights and content

To determine whether body weight during the first 2 weeks of life in preterm infants weighing <1500 gm reflects nutritional status or fluid balance, we studied total body water (TBW) (deuterium oxide dilution), extracellular volume (sucrose dilution), and plasma volume (Evans blue dilution), together with intake-output studies of nitrogen, fluid, and sodium on day 1 (median age 0.3 day), at a weight loss of 7.8% of birth weight (median age 3.4 days), and after birth weight was regained (median age 8.9 days) in eight clinically stable preterm infants (birth weight 810 to 1310 gm, gestational age 26 to 30 weeks) receiving ventilatory support. During the initial weight loss we found no evidence of catabolism. Body solids (weight-TBW) remained unchanged, there was nitrogen retention, and energy intake was sufficient to meet energy expenditure by day 2. However, we found evidence of fluid loss: TBW (mean±SD, −95±99 ml), extracellular volume (−98±63 ml), and interstitial volume (−102±75 ml) decreased significantly, indicating negative fluid and sodium balances. Blood volume and plasma volume remained unchanged. With the regaining of birth weight there was no increase in body solids despite a high degree of nitrogen retention, but there was a positive fluid balance although no significant increase in any body fluid compartment was found. We conclude that the observed postnatal weight changes reflect changes in interstitial volume.

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Body composition, nutrition, and fluid balance during the first two weeks of life in preterm neonates weighing less than 1500 grams

J Pediatr

Lancet

J Pediatr

Am J Clin Nutr

J Pediatr

J Pediatr

Early Hum Dev

Clin Perinatol

J Pediatr

J Pediatr

Effect of fluid administration on the development of symptomatic ductus arteriosus and congestive heart failure in premature infants

N Engl J Med

Postnatal weight loss in preterm neonates <1500g is isotonic dehydration of the extracellular volume

Acta Paediatr Scand

Renal response in low-birth-weight neonates

Am J Dis Child

Composition of postnatal weight loss and subsequent weight gain in small for dates newborn infants

Acta Paediatr Scand

Determinants of arm muscle and fat accretion during the first postnatal month in preterm newborn infants

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr

New standards for neutral thermal environment of healthy very low birth weight infants in week one of life

Arch Dis Child

The measurement of total body water in the human subject by deuterium oxide dilution

J Clin Invest

Body composition of the fetus