Abstract
Background: Daily protein doses of 3.6–3.8 g/kg bodyweight have been recommended for ELBW infants (Tsang 1993). For the first day of life 3.0 g/kg amino acids have been recommended (Thureen and co-workers Pediatr Res 2003; 53:24–32).
Objective: To examine the homoeostasis of plasma amino acids in ELBW infants during the first week of life when enteral nutrition was started with complimentary parenteral feeding aiming at a dose of 3.8 g/kg amino acids/protein.
Methods: In a pilot study of 12 ELBW infants plasma amino acid concentrations were measured longitudinally by ion exchange column chromatography. The infants were admitted consecutively and not selected. Data is given as minimum-median-maximum.
Results: 72 Samples were taken from 12 ELBW infants (birth weight 410–660-980g; gestational age 24–28-31 weeks) on days 1–9. The total amino acid concentrations were above the reference range (95th percentile of the umbilical cord artery plama) in 33 (46%) samples.
Conclusion: The standardized feeding advancement protocol aiming at a dose of 3.8 g amino acids/protein per kg birth weight caused hyperaminoacidaemia in nearly half of the samples. The protein requirement seems to be lower than 3.8 g/kg during the first week of life in ELBW infants.
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Pohlandt, F., Mihatsch, W. 215 Dosage of Amino Acids and Protein in Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) Infants During The First Week. Pediatr Res 56, 500 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200409000-00238
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200409000-00238