title: Increased protein intake decreases postnatal growth faltering in ELBW babies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether purposely designed nutritional guidelines for extremely low birthweight (ELBW; birth weight <1000 g) babies result in protein intakes that meet international consensus recommendations, and whether this results in improved growth from birth to discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study of nutritional intakes and growth in ELBW babies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 ELBW babies who survived for the first month of life, 50 before the introduction of the guideline (Lo Pro) and 50 after (Hi Pro).
  
  
  METHODS
  Introduction of a nutritional guideline aimed at increasing protein intakes to meet international consensus recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weekly protein intakes over the first month of life and growth until discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hi Pro babies had significantly higher protein intakes in the first month of life than Lo Pro babies (mean (SD), 3.8 (0.3) vs 3.3 (0.4) g/kg.day, p<0.0001) and a significantly greater growth velocity (GV) over the first 30 days after regaining birth weight (19.5 (5.0) vs 16.2 (5.4) g/kg.day, p<0.002). Hi Pro babies had a significantly lesser Z-score change between birth and discharge than Lo Pro babies for weight (0.0 (1.2) vs -0.9 (1.1), p=0.001), length (-0.8 (0.8) vs -1.2 (1.1), p=0.02) and head circumference (-0.2 (1.1) vs -1.1 (1.6), p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simple, standardised nutritional guidelines can result in recommended protein intakes for ELBW babies being achieved and result in increased GV. Downward crossing of centiles between birth and discharge, common in ELBW babies, is significantly reduced for weight, length and head circumference.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Services, Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand. bcormack@adhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: Barbara Elizabeth
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Cormack
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Bloomfield
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: Growth; Neonatology; Nutrition