The early use of minimal enteral nutrition in extremely low birth weight newborns.
OBJECTIVE
To gather information regarding the efficacy of early minimal enteral nutrition on overall feeding tolerance in extremely low birth weight infants.


METHODS
Prospective randomized controlled trial comparing the early use of minimal enteral nutrition in extremely low birth weight infants from day 2 to day 7 vs control infants. On day 8, feeding volume in both groups were advanced by 10 ml kg(-1) day(-1) until full enteral feedings were reached. Time to full feeds, number of intolerance episodes, anthropometric measurements, peak total bilirubin levels, incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and incidence of sepsis were compared between the two groups with t-test and chi (2) test.


RESULTS
Eighty-four infants were enrolled in the study but only 61 infants completed the feeding protocol. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups with regards to growth patterns, feeding tolerance, mortality, length of hospital stay and incidence of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Early minimal enteral nutrition use in extremely low birth weight infants did not improve feeding tolerance.
Mosqueda
E
E
Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. eric.mosqueda@case.edu
Sapiegiene
L
L
Glynn
L
L
Wilson-Costello
D
D
Weiss
M
M
D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human; D010865:Pilot Projects