Shorter Time to Full Preterm Feeding Using Intact Protein Formula: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Nutrition
• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Infant Formula Research

Background:

• Preterm infants often require specialized nutritional support.
• Evaluating different formulas is crucial for optimizing growth and development.
• Enteral feeding tolerance and advancement are key concerns in neonatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare enteral feeding advancement and tolerance in preterm infants.
• To assess the efficacy of intact protein preterm formula (IPF) versus extensively hydrolyzed formula (EHF).
• To determine the time to achieve full enteral feeding and overall tolerance.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving preterm infants receiving either IPF or EHF for 14 days.
• Primary outcome: days to achieve full enteral feeding (≥140 mL/kg/day).
• Secondary analyses included tolerance measures and proportion of infants receiving ≥75% study formula.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in general tolerance measures between the two formula groups.
• Median time to full enteral feeding was significantly shorter for IPF (10 days) compared to EHF (14 days).
• Mean enteral intake increased significantly by day 14 in the IPF group.

Conclusions:

• Intact protein preterm formula (IPF) may facilitate quicker advancement to full enteral feeding in preterm infants.
• IPF demonstrated a trend towards higher feeding volumes achieved by study end compared to EHF.
• Further research can explore long-term outcomes and specific indications for each formula type.