Impact of lactose-free hydrolyzed protein formula on feeding intolerance and weight gain in very low birth weight infants / 中国新生儿科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study whether a lactose-free,hydrolyzed protein formula would ameliorate feeding intolerance and weight gain in very low birth weight infants.Methods The study was conducted on very low birth weight infants ( gestational age ≤34 weeks, birth weight ≤1500 g) in our NICU from August 2010 to August 2013. According to the number of admission, the cases were assigned into lactose-free hydrolyzed protein formula group ( hydrolyzed protein group) and preterm formula group. The data of basic information ( gestational age, birth weight, way of labor, sex, asphyxia ), commencement of feeding time ( days) , enteral caloric intake, parenteral nutrition caloric intake, The time ( days) required to regain birth weight, weight gain index, days of parenteral nutrition, prealbumin level, feeding intolerance, the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC ) and extrauterine growth retardation(EUGR)werecollected.Results A total of 83 infants were recruited in the study. 40 infants were in hydrolyzed protein group and 43 infants were in preterm formula group. There were no differences between groups for basic information ( P>0. 05). The weight gain index of hydrolyzed protein group was higher than that of preterm formula group (13. 5 ± 2. 4 g/d vs. 11. 9 ± 3. 7 g/d, P=0. 036). There were less cases of feeding intolerance in hydrolyzed protein group than in preterm formula group & nbsp;(28/40 vs. 38/43, P=0. 038). The differences of the incidence of NEC (1/40 vs. 2/43) and EUGR (21/40vs.25/43)showed no significance statistically.Conclusions Lactose-free hydrolyzed protein formula can obviously improve feeding intolerance and early weight gain of premature infants.