title: Application effect of extensively hydrolyzed milk protein formula and follow-up in preterm children with a gestational age of less than 34 weeks: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The average incidence of preterm birth in the world is up to 11.1 %, and deaths of preterm children account for more than 50 % of neonatal deaths. Gastrointestinal function of preterm children with a gestational age less than 34 weeks is immaturely developed. For preterm children who can only be fed with formula due to their mothers' sickness, choosing a suitable formula can not only meet the high nutritional needs of preterm children, but also solve their low gastrointestinal tolerability, and is thus very important.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is a prospective, randomized, single-blind and controlled clinical trial. Preterm children with a gestational age less than 34 weeks meeting the inclusion criteria who cannot be breastfed will be included. To demonstrate the application effect of extensively hydrolyzed milk protein formula on the target population, preterm children will be randomized into two groups, 185 subjects in each group. The observation group will be fed with extensively hydrolyzed milk protein (100 % whey protein) formula, while the control group will be fed with preterm children's formula until the children are discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). All the formula involved in this study will be from Dumex. After discharge, both groups will be uniformly fed with formula for 0 to 6-month-old infants. For statistical analysis, a chi-square test and Student's t test will be applied using SAS 9.4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This will be the first randomized controlled clinical study with long-term observation of the growth and development of preterm children during the NICU stay and at 3-month follow-up after discharge from the NICU. Results from this study will be used to determine whether the extensively hydrolyzed formula is more suitable for the low gastrointestinal tolerability of preterm children, and also whether feeding preterm children who are fed with such formula during the NICU stay with ordinary infant formula after discharge from the NICU would affect the normal growth and development of preterm children in the early stage of their lives.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn/ ) with number ChiCTR-IOR-14005696 , on December 22, 2014.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China. lipingyin_zd@163.com.
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China. lijuanqian_zd@163.com.
authors.forename: Li-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China. huanzhu_zd@163.com.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China. yanchen_zd@163.com.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China. hanli_zd@163.com.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China. jinanhan_zd@163.com.
authors.forename: Ji-Nan
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, China. qiao_lixing@163.com.
authors.forename: Li-Xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D001903:Bottle Feeding; D002657:Child Development; D002681:China; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011492:Protein Hydrolysates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012107:Research Design; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008894:Milk Proteins; D011492:Protein Hydrolysates