Association between type of feeding at discharge from the hospital and nutritional status of very low birth weight preterm infants

The ideal feeding for premature babies has been the source of extensive debate. The aim of this study was to assess the association between type of feeding at discharge and the nutritional status of very low birth weight infants. This was a retrospective cohort of preterm babies with birth weight ≤1500 g, born between January 2006 and December 2013. The infants were divided into 3 groups according to type of feeding at discharge: exclusive breast milk (group 1), mixed feeding (group 2) and exclusive artificial formula (group 3). Frequencies of each group were calculated, as well as mean Z-score differences in weight, length and head circumference. Six hundred and forty-nine newborns were included. The mean weight of groups 1, 2, and 3 was 1338.7, 1104.0, and 1254.7 g, respectively, and their mean gestational age was 31.9, 30, and 31.2 weeks, respectively. The Z-score differences (means±SD) for groups 1, 2, and 3 were: −0.84±0.68, −1.02±0.75, and −0.86±0.71 for weight, −0.21±1.23, −0.52±1.64 and −0.08±1.34 for head circumference, and −1.10±1.18, −1.54±1.37, and −0.97±1.21 for length. A significant difference was observed between groups 2 and 3 in the adjusted Z-score model for length, with no significant differences in anthropometric measurements for the other comparative analyses. Because of its many advantages, breastfeeding should be stimulated within neonatal units since nutritional status was not influenced by the different types of feeding.

Prebiótico inulina/oligofructosa en la raíz del Yacón (Smallanthus Sonchifolius), fitoquímica y estandarización como base de estudios preclínicos y clínicos / Prebiotic insulin/oligofructose in Yacón root (Smallanthus sonchifolius), phytochemistry and standarization as basis for clinical and pre-clinical research

Introducción: Se ha demostrado experimentalmente que la asociación inulina más oligofructosa puede prevenir la colitis al modificar la microflora, actuando como un prebiótico. También se ha encontrado que tal asociación de inulina más oligofructuosa se encuentra en las raíces de Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius). Ello, amerita su estudio fotoquímico como su estandarización, con el fin de contribuir a su consumo con seguridad y calidad, a los ahorros en recursos de salud y promover adicionales trabajos preclínicos y clínicos. El estudio se realizó sobre la especie cultivada orgánicamente en la Costa, adaptada de la que crece en los Andes, para propiciar su consumo económico en sectores de la sociedad que lo requieran. Objetivos: Determinar la composición química general de las raíces tuberosas de Yacón cultivado en la Costa, mediante tamizaje fotoquímico. Además, la estandarización de su contenido de inulina para contribuir al conocimiento de las condiciones en su empleo. Métodos: Con las raíces cosechadas en el Jardín Botánico del Instituto Nacional de Salud en Lima, se prepararon extractos acuosos por decocción y zumo para el tamizaje fotoquímico con reactivos convencionales. Se estandarizaron los extractos acuosos por su contenido de inulina, empleando un estándar de fructuosa y técnica analítica validada. Las muestras fueron leídas en un Espectrofotómetro UV-VIS, Modelo TU-1810S Split Beam. Resultados: Los ensayos confirmaron la presencia de compuestos fenólicos, flanovoides, alcaloides, esteroides, glicósidos y carbohidratos. La estandarización encontró valores de 7.8 por ciento de inulina en el extracto hidrolizado y de 7.01 por ciento en el sin hidrolizar. Conclusiones: Se tamizaron y...

Introduction: Experiments have demonstrated that the association between inulin and oligofructose can prevent colitis by modifying the intestinal microflora by acting as a prebiotic. It has also been found that this association is naturally present in the roots of the Yacón root (Smallanthus Sonchifolius making phytochemical an standarization studies well worth pursuing. These studies could contribute to the safe use of improved strains of Yacón, to significant savings in health resources, and to promoting additional clinical and pre-clinical research, so far, studies have been made on organically cultivated Yacón in the coast, on varieties adapted from those cultivated in the Andes. The aim is to promote consumption of Yacón in the sectors of society that need it most. Objective: To determinate the general chemical composition of the Yacón tuberous root cultivated in the coast by means of a phytochemical screening, as well as standardizing its inulin content in order to contribute knowledge on its conditions of use. Methods: The roots harvested in the Lima Botanical Garden of the National Health Institute were used to prepare aqueous extracts through decoction and juice for the phytochemical screening with conventional reagents. The aqueous extracts were standardized for inulin content by using a fructose standard method and a validated analytical technique. The samples were read in a TU-1810S Split Beam UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Results: The trials confirmed the presence of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids. Steroids, glycosides and carbohydrates. The standardization found values of 7.8 percentage inulin in the hydrolyzed extract and of 7.01 percentage in the non-hydrolyzed...