title: Parenteral amino acid intakes: possible influences of higher intakes on growth and bone status in preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the possible influences of amino acid (AA) intakes on growth and bone status in preterms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newborns, weighing <1250 g, received standard (S) or higher (H) parenteral AA intakes (3 or 4 g kg(-1) per day). Anthropometry, biochemistry and quantitative ultrasound (metacarpus bone transmission time (mcBTT), in μs) were measured prospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 55 patients in group S and 60 in group H were studied. Significantly better growth rate was found in the H group during the study without signs of intolerance. We found a significant decrease in mcBTT from birth to 21 days in the H group; nonetheless, mcBTT at 36 weeks of gestational age significantly positively correlated with early AA and energy intakes. A significant positive correlation between mcBTT and lower limb length (LLL) at 21 days was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early higher AA intakes improved growth without short-term AA intolerance. Nutritional parameters could influence bone growth. LLL was the anthropometric parameter that best correlated to bone status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scattolin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palatron
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Terlizzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Intini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Visintin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verlato
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000886:Anthropometry; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids