title: Bolus versus continuous feedings stimulate small-intestinal growth and development in the newborn pig.
abstract: Although bolus and continuous tube feedings are common, little is known about their effect on the developing small intestine. To compare their effect on small-intestinal growth and differentiation, six pairs of 3-day-old piglet littermates were randomized to receive similar volumes of sow milk replacer, either by bolus (four times daily, group B) or continuous feedings (over 24 h, group C) for 7 days. The piglets were then killed and small-intestinal length, weight, protein mass, and disaccharidase activities were determined. Small-intestinal mucosal weight and ileal protein mass were greater in group B than in group C (p = 0.0024 and 0.019, respectively). No differences were noted between groups in jejunal mucosal protein mass. Ileal maltase activity also was greater in group B than group C (p = 0.02). Although ileal lactase activity in group B was twice that in group C, the differences did not quite reach statistical significance (p = 0.11). No differences between groups were noted in ileal or jejunal sucrase activity. Our study demonstrated that bolus feedings increased mucosal mass, protein mass, and maltase activity to a greater degree than continuous feedings. These results may have clinical significance for infants receiving long-term tube feedings.
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shulman
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Redel
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Stathos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000254:growth & development*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology