The gut takes nearly all: threonine kinetics in infants.

Background: Threonine is an essential amino acid that is abundantly present in intestinally produced glycoproteins. Animal studies show that intestinal first-pass threonine metabolism is high, particularly during a restricted enteral protein intake.

Objective: The objective of the study was to quantify intestinal first-pass threonine metabolism in preterm infants during full enteral feeding and during restricted enteral intake.

Chemotherapy does not influence intestinal amino acid uptake in children.

Chemotherapy will frequently induce intestinal damage (mucositis). Enteral nutrition is then often withheld for fear of impaired intestinal absorption as shown in animal models. There is no clinical evidence, however, that absorption is indeed compromised during chemotherapy-induced mucositis.

Splanchnic bed metabolism of glucose in preterm neonates.

Background: Glucose is a major oxidative substrate for intestinal energy generation in neonatal animals; however, few data in preterm infants are available. Early administration of enteral nutrition, including glucose, may be an effective strategy to support intestinal adaptation to extrauterine life in preterm neonates.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to quantify the first-pass uptake and oxidation of glucose by the splanchnic tissues (intestine and liver) in human neonates.

Validation of the direct nasopharyngeal sampling method for collection of expired air in preterm neonates.

In clinical studies, the oxidation of 13C-labeled substrates to 13CO2 and the measurement of the appearance of excess 13CO2 in expiratory air has progressed to an increasingly common method as it is noninvasive and lacks the radiation exposure associated with the use of 14C. The collection of respiratory CO2 currently used occurs via trapping of CO2 in sodium hydroxide (trapping method), sometimes in conjunction with indirect calorimetry. The aim of the present study was to determine the accuracy of our direct nasopharyngeal sampling method for the collection of breath samples in preterm infants compared with the currently used trapping method.