CLINICAL NUTRITION INVOLVING A SPECIALIZED PROTEINAND CALORIE-RICH PEDIATRIC MILK PRODUCT FOR ENTERAL FEEDING OF INFANTS WITH PROTEIN-CALORIE DEFICIENCY

Abstract

Background: Premature infants with extremely low and very low birth weight with a severe overlapping perinatal pathology often feature slower growth rate within the first year of life and require special nutritional support.Objective: Our aim was to study physical development of infants with protein-calorie deficiency in the setting of using a specialized protein- and calorie-rich pediatric milk product for enteral feeding.Methods: We analyzed tolerability and efficacy of clinical nutrition within the framework of a prospective two-month-long case series. We assessed actual children’s diets and the chemical composition thereof. We determined body weight and length, body mass index (BMI), adipodermal flap thickness over the triceps. Anabolic effect of clinical nutrition was assessed on the basis of transthyretin concentration dynamics.Results: The study involved 30 infants with protein-calorie deficiency (7 term infants and 23 premature infants) with a severe perinatal pathology. High tolerability of the formula under analysis was registered in most patients. Termination of functional gastrointestinal tract disorders (posseting, colics, flatulence, constipations) was observed in 23 (87%) patients. In most cases, the use of a protein- and calorie-rich formula as a part of a therapeutic diet helped to satisfy children’s protein demand and improve their weight/length parameters: BMI increased in 19 (72%) children, body weight — in 16 (63%), body length — in 24 (92%), adipodermal flap thickness over the triceps — in all the children (100%). We observed transthyretin concentration increase from 162 (157; 171) in the beginning of the study to 187 (170; 208) mg/l in the end thereof (p = 0.028).Conclusion: A specialized protein- and calorie-rich product for enteral feeding may be used for feeding infants with protein-calorie deficiency born with a severe a perinatal pathology, including premature infants.

Keywords

• infants
• premature infants
• hypotrophy
• protein-calorie deficiency
• extremely low body weight
• very low body weight
• clinical nutrition