[Comparison of continuous and intermittent feeding in very low birth weight breast-milk-fed neonates in the NICU of Imam-Reza Hospital in Mashhad]

ABSTRACT

Neonates with a birth weight lower than 1500 g [VLBW] compose almost 1% of all newborns, and 50% of neonatal mortality as well. Nutrition is one of the most important problems in these neonates given that they are not able to suck. So, we decided to study intermittent feeding through NG tube every 2 hours and continuous feeding by pump in order to compare weight gain and complications between these two methods. This study was a randomized clinical trial on neonates admitted to the NICU of Imam-Reza Hospital between 2004 and 2005. All neonates, with a birth weight lower than 1500g, were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups. Weight of each neonate was measured every 3 days. Data were gathered and analyzed using Chi-squared test and Student's t-test. P-value less < 0.05 was considered significant. Studied neonates with birth weights lower than 1500g, were either in the intermittent feeding or continuous feeding group. Neonates entered the investigation when milk volume reached 100 ml/Kg. The two groups were matched with respect to birth weight, gestational age, feeding start age, and weight and age at the time of study entry. Of 73 neonates, 61 were discharged and 11 died. One neonate was excluded from the study because of early discharge. No significant difference was found between the groups in weight gain, feeding tolerance, and reaching birth weight or discharge weight [p=0.33]. There does not seem to be any difference between the efficiency of the two feeding methods: