Growth in human milk-Fed very low birth weight infants receiving a new human milk fortifier.
OBJECTIVE
Human milk fortification has been advocated to enhance premature infants' growth. We, therefore, undertook this study of a new human milk fortifier containing more protein than a reference one.


METHODS
Open, randomized, controlled, multiclinic trial, with weekly growth parameters and safety evaluations in premature infants <1,500 g.


RESULTS
The 2 groups did not differ in demographic and baseline characteristics. The adjusted daily milk intake was significantly higher in the infants fed reference human milk fortifier (n = 29; 154.2 +/- 2.1 vs. 144.4 +/- 2.5 ml/kg/day, mean +/- SE; p < 0.05). Both human milk fortifiers produced increases over baseline in weight, length, and head circumference, with greater gains observed in the new human milk fortifier-fed infants for the former two parameters (weight gain 26.8 +/- 1.3 and 20.4 +/- 1.2 g/day, p < 0.05; head circumference 1.0 +/- 0.1 and 0.8 +/- 0.1 cm/week; length 0.9 +/- 0.1 and 0.8 +/- 0.1 cm/week, respectively). Serum chemistries were normal and acceptable for age. Study events were typical for premature infants and similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This new human milk fortifier had comparable safety to the reference human milk fortifier and promoted faster weight gain and head circumference growth.
Porcelli
P
P
Department of Pediatrics, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C, USA.
Schanler
R
R
Greer
F
F
Chan
G
G
Gross
S
S
Mehta
N
N
Spear
M
M
Kerner
J
J
Euler
A R
AR
D001827:Body Height; D002508:Cephalometry; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008895:Milk, Human; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain