Dietary fat for infants with enterostomies.
OBJECTIVE
Infants with enterostomies frequently have signs of short bowel syndrome. Our goal was to assess the effect of dietary lipids on ostomy output and weight gain in infants with enterostomies.


METHODS
We reviewed the medical records of 10 neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis or isolated intestinal perforations requiring temporary enterostomies. Infants had high stoma outputs and poor weight gain. All infants received a commercially available soluble dietary fat supplement added to their enteral feedings. Ostomy output as a percentage of enteral intake and daily weight gain were compared over 5-day intervals before and after adding the dietary fat.


RESULTS
We observed a decrease in ostomy output after the addition of dietary lipids to enteral feedings, from an average of 29.3% to 19.8% of dietary intake, a relative decrease of 32% (P < .05). Daily weight gain increased from an average of 7.7 g/d to 26.8 g/d (P < .01) after treatment initiation. Infants with the greatest ostomy output (>20% of dietary intake) benefited the most by adding the dietary fat.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary lipids appear to decrease ostomy output and improve weight gain in infants with enterostomies and short bowel syndrome. The use of dietary lipids may be helpful in infants with enterostomies to limit the morbidity of this condition.
Malcolm
William F
WF
Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA. malco002@mc.duke.edu
Lenfestey
Robert W
RW
Rice
Henry E
HE
Rach
Elizabeth
E
Goldberg
Ronald N
RN
Cotten
C Michael
CM
D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D004766:Enterostomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain
D004041:Dietary Fats