title: The influence of early postnatal nutrition on retinopathy of prematurity in extremely low birth weight infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retinopathy of prematurity(ROP) is the most common serious ophthalmic disease in preterm infants. Human milk may provide a protective effect for ROP; however, beneficial effects of human milk preclude randomized trials. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis comparing early postnatal nutrition with ROP development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate relationship between early postnatal nutriture and ROP surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nutrition data was collected for inborn AGA infants, BW 700-1000 g. ROP surgery was the primary outcome variable. A single pediatric ophthalmologist supervised examinations. All infants received triweekly IM vitamin A as chronic lung disease prophylaxis (Tyson: NEJM, 1999).
  
  
  RESULTS
  BW and gestational age were 867+/-85 g and 26.3+/-1.2 weeks (n=77, mean+/-1SD). ROP surgery infants(n=11) received more parenteral nutrition, 1648 mL, and less human milk, 13.8 mL/kg-day, and vitamin E, 1.4 mg/kg-day, during the second postnatal week. Human milk was a negative predictor for ROP surgery, odds ratio=0.94. Both groups met vitamin A recommendations; however, 74% was administered via IM injections. Neither group met vitamin E recommendations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human milk feeding, parenteral nutrition volume and vitamin E intake were predictors for ROP surgery. IM vitamin A injections provided the majority of vitamin A; vitamin E administration was insufficient. Improving human milk feeding rates and vitamin dosing options may affect ROP surgery rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States. porcelli@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Porcelli
authors.forename: R Grey
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Weaver
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D008895:Milk, Human; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E