Lack of correlation between fecal elastase-1 levels and fecal nitrogen excretion in preterm infants.
We measured fecal elastase-1 (FE1) levels in 34 preterm newborns (15 small-for-gestational-age and 19 appropriate-for-gestational-age) during the first 2 months of life and evaluated whether they were correlated with nitrogen loss in stools. FE1 increased over time, and values were similar in both groups of newborns. Fecal nitrogen was significantly higher in small-for-gestational-age infants. There was no correlation between FE1 levels and fecal nitrogen excretion. Pancreatic proteolytic function was efficient at an early stage in enterally fed preterm newborns. Despite the similar FE1 values, fecal nitrogen loss was significantly higher in small-for-gestational-age preterm infants than in appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants.
Istituto Clinico di Pediatria Preventiva e Neonatologia, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy. luigi.corvaglia@unibo.it
Luigi
L
Corvaglia
Vittoria
V
Paoletti
Barbara
B
Battistini
Patrizia
P
Simoni
Giacomo
G
Faldella
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000378:metabolism; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000032:analysis*; D010186:Pancreatic Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values
D015415:Biomarkers; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D009584:Nitrogen