RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To measure gastrointestinal hormonal response (GHR) with minimal enteral feeding (MEF) in sick premature infants. METHODS: Forty-one babies birth weight < 1800 g receiving total parenteral nutrition or intravenous solutions entered the study. They were distributed in two groups: group I: 26 infants (early enteral feeding < or = 5 d) and group II = 15 infants (late enteral feeding = 10-14 d). A diluted special formula was used as MEF starting with 1 mL hourly with daily increments of 1 mL up to 120 mL. Basal and final determinations of GHR were done before and after the MEF. RESULTS: Both groups were similar in birth weight, postnatal age, and trophism. There were intragroup differences between basal and final GHR for all hormones in both groups. Subgroups by gestational age (< or = 32 vs > 32 weeks) and trophism (< or = 1250 vs > 1250 g) also showed basal-final differences. There were no complications related to the MEF. CONCLUSIONS: MEF favors secretion of gastrointestinal hormones in sick premature infants. Early MEF seems to be preferable to late one since it allows a faster secretion related to volume of the formula. MEF did not increase abdominal complications in our infants.
