[Improvement in diurnal oral ingestion in the malnourished newborn infant induced by the administration of nocturnal enteral nutrition]. / Mejoría de la ingestión oral diurna en el lactante desnutrido inducida por la administración de nutrición enteral nocturna.

The purpose of this study was evaluate the impact of nocturnal nasogastric tube feeding on diurnal caloric intake in children with severe energy protein-calorie malnutrition. Sixteen infants admitted to the Pediatric Nutrition Department with severe malnutrition were randomly assigned into groups: eight children in group A and eight in group B. Infants in both groups received 100% of their caloric requirements by oral feeding ad libitum. An additional 30% caloric charge was given to patients in group A by nocturnal nasogastric tube feeding. At admission and at their 7th day, weight, height, arm circumference, triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness were recorded. Weight for age, weight for height, height for age and upper arm muscle circumference were estimated. Every meal was weighted and measured before and after being eaten in order to calculate the child caloric intake using food composition tables. There were no statistically differences in all parameters between groups at admission. At discharge significant differences on caloric intake were found (179.7 +/- 75.34 kcal vs. 98.38 +/- 37.73 kcal; p 0.02). This findings suggest that nocturnal support with an extra caloric supply over the normal requirements for age improve the diurnal caloric intake of children with severe protein energy malnutrition.