Extensive and partial protein hydrolysate preterm formulas
1Second Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. hania@ipgate.pl
Insights
Protein hydrolysate formulas for preterm infants lack sufficient evidence for routine use. More high-quality, long-term studies are needed to determine their benefits and indications in infant nutrition.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Nutrition
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
Background:
- Protein hydrolysate formulas are emerging for preterm infants.
- Clear indications for their use are currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the effects of protein hydrolysate formulas in feeding preterm infants.
- To assess the current evidence supporting their use.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of MEDLINE (1966-August 2006) and Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2006).
- Evaluation of studies on protein hydrolysate formulas for preterm infants.
Main Results:
- Limited evidence supports the use of extensive and partial protein hydrolysate formulas for preterm infants.
- Current data does not justify routine preference over other formulas.
Conclusions:
- High-quality, long-term trials are necessary.
- Further research is required before routine implementation in preterm infant feeding.
Abstract:
Protein hydrolysate formulas for preterm infants recently have been developed. However, the indications for the use of such formulas are unclear. The aim of this article is to systematically evaluate the effect of protein hydrolysate formulas in the feeding of preterm infants through searching the MEDLINE (1966-August 2006) and Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2006) databases. There is little evidence to support the use of extensive and partial protein hydrolysate formulas for preterm infants. High quality, long-term trials are required before these formulas should be offered routinely in preference to other types of formula for preterm infants.
