title: Amino acid dosing in parenteral nutrition for very low birth weight preterm neonates: an outcome assessment.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effects of parenteral nutrition (PN) administration of amino acids (AA) on physical changes among very low birth weight infants in a local hospital setting in Malaysia. A retrospective study was carried out at a hospital in Malaysia. Records of neonates prescribed PN in the neonatal unit in 2012 were screened for eligibility. A total of 199 premature neonates received PN support in the year 2012 and, of these, 100 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median value of AA intake on the first day of PN was 2.00 (<28 weeks group); 1.00 (28-31 weeks group) and 0.75 (>31 weeks group). Neonates in the <28 weeks group were more likely to receive AA at an earlier time and higher initial dose compared with the other age groups. The study also found that there was no statistically significant difference in the dose of AA on the first day of PN administration and that the significant variations in nutritional parameters among the subjects did not lead to differences in physical outcomes. This study identified that when PN is provided in the local hospital setting, it is likely that the current nutritional practices are inadequate to achieve the standard growth recommendations. Our findings call for a need to optimize AA and calorie intake since growth restriction is a morbidity which will affect the infants' growth and development. Current prescriptions for PN in this hospital need to be reviewed in order to improve patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Aini
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Kamarudin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam, Malaysia. Email: mmmanan2002@yahoo.com.|School of Pharmacy, KPJ Healthcare University College, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Mansor
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Manan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hanis Hanum
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Zulkifly
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Chin Fen
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Neoh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, MAHSA University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Salmiah Mohd
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam, Malaysia.|Unit for Medication Outcomes Research and Education (UMORE), Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Long Chiau
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ming
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids