Effects of different fortified feeding methods on the nutrient metabolism and growth rate of very low birth weight preterm infants / 中国儿童保健杂志

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To analyze the effects of different fortified feeding methods on nutritional metabolism and growth rate of preterm very low birth weight infants (VLBWI), in order to provide new clues for improving the prognosis of the preterm infants. 【Methods】 A total of 115 cases of premature VLBWI admitted to Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2019 to December 2020 were included in this study, and were divided into fortified breastfeeding group (HFM group), mixed feeding group, and premature formula feeding group (PF group) based on their feeding methods. The effects of different feeding methods on the nutritional metabolism and growth rate of premature VLBWI were analyzed. 【Results】 1) The hospitalization time of infants in the HFM group was shorter than that in PF group and mixed feeding group (t=7.185, 6.924, P<0.05). 2) The proportion of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in the HFM group during hospitalization was lower than that in the PF group (P<0.05); the proportions of late onset septicemia(LOS) and extra uterine growth restriction(EUGR) in the HFM group during hospitalization were lower than those in the PF group (χ2=5.030, 4.147, P<0.05); the proportion of LOS was lower than that of the mixed feeding group(χ2=6.589, P<0.05). 3) During hospitalization, the proportions of abdominal distension, bloody stools and increased eosinophils in the HFM group were lower than those in the PF group (P<0.05), which in mixed feeding group was lower than those in PF group (Fisher exact test, P<0.05). 4) At discharge, the weight and length growth rate of the HFM group were higher than those of the mixed feeding group (t=3.722, 0.425, P<0.001) and the PF group (t =6.015, 0.496, P< 0.001). 【Conclusion】 Fortified breastfeeding can more effectively increase the growth rate of VLBWI in premature infants, improve nutritional metabolism, reduce complications and adverse feeding reactions related to premature infants, and is safer and more effective.