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The early use of minimal enteral nutrition in extremely low birth weight newborns

Journal of Perinatology volume 28, pages 264–269 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To gather information regarding the efficacy of early minimal enteral nutrition on overall feeding tolerance in extremely low birth weight infants.

Study Design:

Prospective randomized controlled trial comparing the early use of minimal enteral nutrition in extremely low birth weight infants from day 2 to day 7 vs control infants. On day 8, feeding volume in both groups were advanced by 10 ml kg−1 day−1 until full enteral feedings were reached. Time to full feeds, number of intolerance episodes, anthropometric measurements, peak total bilirubin levels, incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and incidence of sepsis were compared between the two groups with t-test and χ2 test.

Result:

Eighty-four infants were enrolled in the study but only 61 infants completed the feeding protocol. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups with regards to growth patterns, feeding tolerance, mortality, length of hospital stay and incidence of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis.

Conclusion:

Early minimal enteral nutrition use in extremely low birth weight infants did not improve feeding tolerance.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Dr Richard Martin and Dr Monika Bhola for their thoughtful review of the manuscript. We thank Julie Di Fiore and Mary Ann O'Riordan for providing help with the statistical analysis. We also thank Linda Juretschke NNP, Zeynep Salih MD, and Mathew Co for their assistance in data collection and manuscript preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    E Mosqueda & D Wilson-Costello

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA

    L Sapiegiene, L Glynn & M Weiss

Authors
  1. E Mosqueda
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  2. L Sapiegiene
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  3. L Glynn
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  4. D Wilson-Costello
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  5. M Weiss
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E Mosqueda.

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Mosqueda, E., Sapiegiene, L., Glynn, L. et al. The early use of minimal enteral nutrition in extremely low birth weight newborns. J Perinatol 28, 264–269 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211926

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211926

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