title: Growth and fat-free mass gain in preterm infants after discharge: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the consumption of a nutrient-enriched formula after hospital discharge determines different growth and weight gain composition in preterm infants according to intra- and extrauterine growth pattern.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred seven preterm infants were randomized at term-corrected age to receive treatment A (term formula) or B (nutrient-enriched formula) up to 6 months of corrected age, using 2 computer-generated randomization lists, 1 for adequate for gestational age (AGA) and 1 for small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Infants were weaned according to our clinical practice after 6 months' corrected age. Anthropometric parameters and body composition by an air displacement plethysmography system were assessed at term and 1, 3, and 6 months' corrected age. Anthropometric parameters were also assessed at 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Protein intakes were higher in infants receiving treatment B than in infants receiving treatment A at each study point. There were no differences between the feeding groups in weight and length SD scores in either the AGA and SGA group through the study. The mean head circumference values were higher in AGA infants receiving treatment B than in AGA infants receiving treatment A at 6 and 12 months, whereas at 6 months, the percentage of fat mass was lower. No difference in body composition was detected among SGA infants through the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This randomized controlled trial demonstrates the beneficial effect of the consumption of a nutrient-enriched formula after hospital discharge by AGA infants both in terms of head circumference growth and fat-free mass gain.
authors.affiliation: NICU, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. paola.roggero@unimi.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roggero
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Giannì
authors.forename: Orsola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liotto
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morlacchi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.forename: Pasqua
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piemontese
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taroni
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morniroli
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bracco
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
mesh_terms: D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D041943:Infant Formula; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015430:Weight Gain