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Urinary metabolite profiles in premature infants show early postnatal metabolic adaptation and maturation

Sissel J Moltu1, Daniel Sachse2, Elin W Blakstad3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Oslo University Hospital, P.O. Box 4950 Nydalen, Oslo 0424, Norway. sissel.moltu@medisin.uio.no.

Nutrients
|May 15, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Enhanced nutrition in premature infants did not alter urine metabolite profiles significantly. However, specific amino acids and metabolites changed with infant maturation, and elevated glycine and threonine in early urine may indicate altered metabolic phenotypes in small for gestational age infants.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional science
  • Metabolomics
  • Neonatal research

Background:

  • Early nutrition is crucial for metabolic programming and long-term health in infants.
  • Premature infants (<1500 g) require specialized nutritional support during hospitalization.
  • Understanding metabolic adaptations in preterm infants is essential for optimizing growth and development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of enhanced neonatal nutrition on urinary metabolite profiles in premature infants.
  • To identify potential metabolic biomarkers associated with infant growth and maturation.
  • To explore the relationship between early nutrition and metabolic programming in preterm neonates.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 48 premature infants.
  • Comparison of an enhanced diet versus a standard diet.
  • Urinary metabolite profiling using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy at different time points.

Main Results:

  • Enhanced nutrition provided higher energy, protein, lipids, and specific vitamins/fatty acids.
  • Urinary metabolite profiles showed significant changes related to postmenstrual age, including increases in glucogenic amino acids and TCA cycle metabolites.
  • Elevated glycine and threonine were observed in the first-week urine of small for gestational age (SGA) infants.

Conclusions:

  • Nutri-metabolomics in preterm infants reveals metabolic changes influenced by physiological adaptation and maturation.
  • Elevated glycine and threonine in early urine samples of SGA infants may serve as potential biomarkers for altered metabolic phenotypes.
  • This study highlights the complex interplay between early nutrition, maturation, and metabolism in premature infants.
Abstract

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