Acidified Feedings in Preterm Infants: A Historical and Physiological Perspective.

The use of acidified milk for feeding infants has a long, interesting history that appears to have developed from the use of buttermilk in Holland as early as the late 19th century for feeding infants with diarrhea. Physicians in the early 20th century assumed that the observed benefits were from buttermilk's acidity leading to the practice of acidifying infant formula. The historical and physiological perspective on the use of acidified infant formula is now especially relevant with the emergence of an acidified liquid human milk fortifier for preterm infants.

Use of probiotics in the NICU: Evaluating the stability of a three-strain probiotic blend in various media for enteral feeding.

Background: There is little published data on how to prepare probiotic supplements for enteral delivery in the NICU. The objective of this study was to determine how a three-strain probiotic blend (Bb-02, TH-4® and BB-12®) would behave when mixed and held for 4 hours with saline water, sterile water, dextrose 5% in water (D5W), 24 kcal preterm formula, and human milk.

Methods: A packet of a three-strain probiotic supplement was mixed with 3 mL of saline water, sterile water, D5W, 24 kcal preterm formula, and human milk (tested at 3 mL and 2 mL).

Metabolic Acidosis in Preterm Infants is Associated with a Longer Length of Stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Introduction: Preterm births account for disproportionately high healthcare costs, in large part due to expenses related to length of stay in the hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It is common for preterm infants to receive human milk fortifier (HMF) while in the NICU. Liquid HMF is available in both acidified and non-acidified formulations.

Improved Outcomes in Preterm Infants Fed a Nonacidified Liquid Human Milk Fortifier: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: To compare growth, feeding tolerance, and clinical and biochemical evaluations in human milk-fed preterm infants randomized to receive either an acidified or a nonacidified liquid human milk fortifier.

Study Design: This prospective, controlled, parallel, multicenter growth and tolerance study included 164 preterm infants (≤32 weeks of gestation, birth weight 700-1500 g) who were randomized to acidified or nonacidified liquid human milk fortifier from study day 1, the first day of fortification, through study day 29 or until hospital discharge.

Results: There was no difference in the primary outcome of weight gain from study days 1 to 29 (acidified liquid human milk fortifier, 16.

Growth and Tolerance of Preterm Infants Fed a New Extensively Hydrolyzed Liquid Human Milk Fortifier.

Objectives: This study was a comparison of growth and tolerance in premature infants fed either standard powdered human milk fortifier (HMF) or a newly formulated concentrated liquid that contained extensively hydrolyzed protein.

Methods: This was an unblinded randomized controlled multicenter noninferiority study on preterm infants receiving human milk (HM) supplemented with 2 randomly assigned HMFs, either concentrated liquid HMF containing extensively hydrolyzed protein (LE-HMF) or a powdered intact protein HMF (PI-HMF) as the control. The study population consisted of preterm infants ≤33 weeks who were enterally fed HM.

Growth of healthy term infants fed ready-to-feed and powdered forms of an extensively hydrolyzed casein-based infant formula: a randomized, blinded, controlled trial.

Extensively hydrolyzed formulas present a complex matrix subject to adverse conditions during manufacture that could influence growth and tolerance of infants fed these formulas. A masked, randomized, parallel growth study was conducted in infants fed a ready-to-feed (RTF) or powdered (PWD) form of an extensively hydrolyzed casein-based formula. Infants were enrolled between 0 and 9 days and studied to 112 days of age.

Effect of carotenoid supplementation on plasma carotenoids, inflammation and visual development in preterm infants.

Objective: Dietary carotenoids (lutein, lycopene and β-carotene) may be important in preventing or ameliorating prematurity complications. Little is known about carotenoid status or effects of supplementation.

Study Design: This randomized controlled multicenter trial compared plasma carotenoid levels among preterm infants (n=203, <33 weeks gestational age) fed diets with and without added lutein, lycopene and β-carotene with human milk (HM)-fed term infants.