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Nitrogen balance of very preterm infants with extrauterine growth restriction

Rong Wu1, Li-Hua Li2, Zhao-Fang Tian3

  • 1Neonatal Medical Center, Huaian Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Yangzhou University. No.104, South Renmin Road, Huaian.

The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
|January 10, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Very preterm infants with extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) experience more negative nitrogen balance compared to their peers. This highlights critical nutritional challenges in EUGR infants during hospitalization.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatology
  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Growth Monitoring

Background:

  • Extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) is a significant concern in very preterm infants.
  • Assessing nitrogen balance is crucial for understanding nutritional status and growth in neonates.
  • Preterm infants often face challenges in achieving optimal growth post-birth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate nitrogen balance changes in very preterm infants with EUGR during hospitalization.
  • To compare nitrogen balance between infants with and without EUGR.
  • To identify potential nutritional deficits in infants experiencing EUGR.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 64 very preterm infants (<32 weeks gestational age) was studied.
  • Infants were categorized into EUGR and non-EUGR groups based on discharge weight percentiles.
  • Urinary urea nitrogen was measured using the Kjeldahl method at multiple time points (1st, 7th, 14th, 28th day).
  • Nitrogen balance was calculated and compared between the two groups.

Main Results:

  • Infants in the EUGR group had significantly lower birth weight and higher incidence of small for gestational age (SGA).
  • All infants exhibited negative nitrogen balance, which improved with age.
  • The EUGR group consistently showed lower nitrogen balance values than the non-EUGR group.
  • Statistically significant differences in nitrogen balance were observed on the 1st and 28th day post-birth.

Conclusions:

  • Very preterm infants, particularly those with EUGR, present with negative nitrogen balance.
  • EUGR infants experience a more pronounced negative nitrogen balance, indicating potential nutritional inadequacy.
  • Findings underscore the need for optimized nutritional support strategies for preterm infants at risk of EUGR.

Keywords:
extrauterine growth restrictioninfantnitrogen balancevery preterm

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