Growth of very low birth weight infants fed with milk from a human milk bank selected according to the caloric and protein value.
OBJECTIVE
To describe growth and clinical evolution of very low birth weight infants fed during hospital stay with milk from a human milk bank according to the caloric-protein value.


METHODS
Forty very low birth weight infants were included: 10 were fed milk from their own mothers (GI), and 30 were fed human milk bank > 700 cal/L and 2 g/dL of protein. Growth curves were adjusted using nonlinear regression to the measured growth parameters.


RESULTS
full enteral diet was reached in 6.3 days by GI and in 10.8 by GII; a weight of 2 kg was reached in 7.3 weeks for GI and in 7.8 for GII. In GI, 3/10 (33.3%) and in GII, 7/30 (23.3%) developed sepsis. Necrotizing enterocolitis did not occur in GI, but in 3/30 (10.0%) in GII. GI presented with urinary calcium > 4 mg/L in 1/10 (10.0%), urinary phosphorus (Pu) <1 mg/L in 10/10 (100%), and Ca/Cr >0.6 ratio in 1/10 (10.0%) of the cases; in GII, no children presented alterations of the urinary calcium or the Ca and Cr ratio, and Pu was <1 mg/L in 19/30 (63.3%). In terms of growth the 50th percentile for GI was a weight gain of 12.1 g/day (GI) vs. 15.8 g/day (GII), a length gain of 0.75 cm/week (GI) vs. 1.02 cm/week (GII), and a head circumference gain of 0.74 cm/week (GI) vs. 0.76 cm/week (GII).


CONCLUSIONS
Human milk bank allowed a satisfactory growth and good clinical evolution for very low birth weight infants.
Aprile
Marisa da Matta
Mda M
Pediatric Department, ABC Medical School - São Bernardo do Campo/SP, Brazil.
Feferbaum
Rubens
R
Andreassa
Nerli
N
Leone
Claudio
C
D001938:Brazil; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D007902:Length of Stay; D017784:Milk Banks / Q000592:standards; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D012044:Regression Analysis
D004044:Dietary Proteins