title: Potential influence of total parenteral nutrition on body composition at discharge in preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to assess the potential influence of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) on body composition (BC) in preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective, observational study of infants born <35 weeks measured BC at discharge using air displacement plethysmography. The % body fat (BF) at discharge was correlated with variables gestational age (GA), severity of illness, days on oxygen, time to regain birth weight and duration of TPN.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 61 patients enrolled had a %BF at discharge of 13.9%. GA and TPN days correlated with %BF for the entire group. Multiple regression analysis identified that the time to regain birth weight added to the effect of GA, but not TPN. Isolating the influence of TPN in a subgroup of similarly aged infants (30-35 weeks) did not reveal a difference in body composition at the time of discharge between infants who did or did not receive TPN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings fail to demonstrate a clear influence of TPN on the increased accrual of BF in premature infants and implicate gestational modification in nutrient/caloric utilization as a principle regulator of body composition in premature newborns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine , Rochester, NY , USA .
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.forename: Coleen P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Greecher
authors.forename: Michele L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Shaffer
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shenberger
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D001823:Body Composition; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods*; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome