title: Implications of limitation of renal function for the nutrition of low birthweight infants.
abstract: Renal function is immature in low-birth-weight infants. The glomerular filtration rate is low during the entire first month of life. It is 20-50% of that observed in older children and adults. This limits the excretory capacity of the kidney and might set an upper limit for the protein intake. The capacity to reabsorb bicarbonate is not fully developed. This predisposes the low-birth-weight infant to metabolic acidosis. The capacities to excrete sodium when in positive sodium balance and to retain sodium when in negative sodium balance are limited. If the daily sodium balance is not well monitored, conditions of negative sodium balance with hyponatremia as well as of positive sodium balance with hypernatremia might occur.
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D012964:Sodium