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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #61818
Title: EARLY FEEDING INCREASES MINERAL ABSORPTION IN PRETERM INFANTS

Author
item SCHANLER, RICHARD - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE
item SHULMAN, ROBERT - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE
item LAU, CHANTAL - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE

Submitted to: Pediatric Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: An Interpretive Summary is not needed for this document.

Technical Abstract: Benefits of early, small-volume milk feeding in preterm infants have been suggested. As part of a randomized trial to assess the importance of the time of initiation of milk feeding, EARLY (4d) vs LATE (15d), we measured the absorption of fat, Ca, P, Mg, Zn, and Cu from two balance studies (@ approx. 40 and 60d). The EARLY group (n=28, birth wt 1.04+/-0.2 kg, 28+/-1 wk gestation, mean+/-SD) received milk (20 ml/kg-1/d-1) plus parenteral nutrition (PN) from day 4 to 15, the LATE grp (n=34, birth weight 1.04 +/-0.2 kg, 28+/-1 wk gestation) received only PN until day 15, at which time milk feeding was begun at 20 ml/kg-1/d-1. Milk intake was then advanced similarly in both grps. Although complete enteral feeding was achieved at similar ages (26d in ea grp), the cumulative intake of milk up to that milestone was greater in EARLY vs LATE (p<0.01). Using grp (EARLY, LATE) and time as factors in a repeated measures ANOVA, no differences were enoted for net absorption (Abs, mg/kg-1/d-1) of fat, Mg, or Cu but vital differences were observed for Ca (p=0.003), P(p=0.012), and Zn (p=0.034). Group Age-1(d) Ca-Abs P-Abs Age-2(d) Ca-Abs P-Abs EARLY 40+/-15 115+/-26 108+/-18 57+/-8 106+/-45 93+/-24 LATE 45+/-15 69+/-39 84+/-22 63+/-16 88+/-46 84+/-24 Nutrient and fluid intakes were similar between grps during the balance studies. These data suggest that early feeding, in providing greater and/or earlier nutrient exposure to the gastrointestinal tract, may have stimulated mechanisms which increase absorption of specific minerals. This process remained in effect well beyond the phase of early initiation of feeding. These data support the benefit of early, small-volume milk feeding in preterm infants.