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[Early warning value of functional ultrasound monitoring parameters for feeding intolerance in preterm infants]
Meng-Ru Zhao1, Yu-Lin Wang1, Jun-Tao Zhang1
1Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650000.
Insights
Functional ultrasound effectively predicts feeding intolerance (FI) in preterm infants by assessing gastric emptying and intestinal motility. This non-invasive method aids in early risk assessment and personalized feeding strategies for vulnerable newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Medical Imaging
- Gastroenterology
Objectives:
To evaluate the clinical value of functional ultrasound for early warning of feeding intolerance (FI) in preterm infants.
Methods:
A prospective cohort analysis was performed in 107 preterm infants (FI group, n=48; non-FI group, n=59). Functional ultrasound was used to assess gastric emptying time, intestinal peristalsis frequency, and intraluminal gas-liquid abnormalities.
Results:
Compared with the non-FI group, the FI group had a significantly prolonged gastric emptying time [(46±8) min vs (36±7) min, P<0.001], a reduced intestinal peristalsis frequency [(8.8±2.0) times/5 min vs (12.4±3.3) times/5 min, P<0.001], and a higher rate of moderate or greater gas-liquid abnormalities (63% vs 20%, P<0.001). A multivariable logistic regression model based on three functional ultrasound parameters-gastric emptying time, intestinal peristalsis frequency, and intestinal gas-liquid interface score-achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.910 (sensitivity 79.2% and specificity 93.2%). Internal validation (AUC=0.911, 95%CI: 0.845-0.964) and external validation (AUC=0.904, 95%CI: 0.854-1.000) both showed high predictive performance. Subgroup analyses indicated that the model retained good predictive ability across gestational age and birth weight groups.
Conclusions:
Functional ultrasound can detect intestinal dysfunction before clinical manifestations of FI. The combined parameter model can be used for FI risk assessment and individualized feeding management in preterm infants, with high clinical applicability and potential for broader implementation.
