The skinfold thickness in preterm infants.

The development of the subscapular, triceps and abdominal (suprailiac) skinfolds was studied in 120 healthy preterm infants with a birth weight below 2500 g at the age of 2 weeks, 1 month and 2 months. The skinfolds developed with the age of the infants, no gestational age related differences being noted. The triceps skinfold was thicker than the subscapular and abdominal skinfolds.

[The early changes in the fundus oculi of premature infants].

The authors prospect the fundus at 69 prematures with birth weight under 1,500 g and at 49 prematures with birth weight over 1,600 g, whose neonatal pathology required intermittent administration of oxygen. The examination were done at the medium age of 5.5-6.

[Supplementation of energy intake in premature infants by parenteral administration of lipids].

Premature infants are at risk for malnutrition and essential fatty acid deficiency. The authors administered 0.5 g of lipids by parenteral route as an adjuvant to enteral feeding, in 30 healthy premature infants aged 14 days to 6 weeks, with a body weight at birth of 1,879 +/- 325 g, presenting a slow rate of weight gain.

[The metabolic characteristics of low-birth-weight infants].

The authors studied the protein and fat metabolism in 2-6-weeks-old premature (100 cases) and "small for date" babies (20 cases), all being artificially fed with isocaloric diets. Weight curves were related to dietary intake of proteins in small for date babies. The premature born infants showed no similar relationship between dietary intake of proteins and weight charts.

[The fat ration for the premature infant].

The authors studied cantitative and calitative fat dietary intake in conditions of isocaloric energetic diets and effects on somatic development and on plasma levels of fats in 3 randomized populations of premature infants. They concluded that dietary intake of 3-6.4 g fats/kg b.

Thermal regulation in preterm infants.

The development of thermoregulation was studied in 14 healthy preterm infants with body weights of 1000-2200 g, appropriate for gestational age and conception ages of 32-46 weeks. Tympan, skin and rectal temperatures were measured under the same conditions three times daily for 7 successive days. The body temperature, the temperature of the tympan, the facial and abdominal skin temperatures did not show oscillations during the day.

[Hypoplasia of the intrahepatic biliary tract in premature infants].

Neonatal cholestatic disturbances are frequent in premature neonates. An important role in the group of causes which may induce cholestasis is that of hypoplasia of the intrahepatic biliary pathways. Ten cases are described, of prematurely born infants with hypoplasia of the intrahepatic biliary pathways.

[Mineral composition of the milk of mothers of premature infants during early lactation].

The authors have assessed the concentration of sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in the milk of mothers with premature births, during the first month of lactation. The levels of Na, Cu and Mn were decreased and those of K, Ca, Mg, Zn and Li were unchanged. The needs of Na, Ca and Mn for the premature infants are insufficient.

[Dynamics of the composition of lipids in human milk during lactation].

The authors have studied the total lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol in the milk of 30 mothers over a lactation period of 4 days to 10 months. The total lipids showed diurnal oscillations with a minimal level in the morning and maximal level (P less than 0.001) at 1 p.

Occurrence of 19p- in an infant with multiple dysmorphic features.

A case with partial deletion on the short arm of one chromosome 19 and multiple dysmorphic features is reported.