title: Development of urea-synthesizing capacity in preterm infants during the first weeks of life.
abstract: The urea-synthesizing capacity of the liver was studied in 20 healthy preterm infants during the first month of life. The urea-synthesizing capacity was estimated by the ratio of 15N abundances of ammonia and urea in the 6-hour urine after administration of 3 mg 15N-labelled ammonium chloride/kg body weight. The ratio increases with increasing protein intakes from the 2nd to the 3rd week of life. On protein intakes of more than 3 g/kg/protein day from the 3rd week to the end of the 2nd month of life, the ratio decreases suggesting a maturation of the urea cycle during the first weeks of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Leipzig, FRG.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Teichmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000641:Ammonia / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000641:Ammonia; D014508:Urea