Pooling Strategies to Modify Macronutrient Content of Pasteurized Donor Human Milk.

Donor human milk (DHM) is the recommended feeding for preterm infants when mother's own milk is unavailable or insufficient. DHM macronutrient's variability may have significant implications on preterm growth. Different pooling strategies could be used to improve the macronutrient content, facilitating the achievement of nutritional requirements of preterm.

Neonatal intestinal failure: Growth pattern and nutrition intakes in accordance with weaning from parenteral nutrition.

Background: Short bowel syndrome is the most common cause of intestinal failure (IF) in infants. We aimed to evaluate growth, nutrition intakes, and predictors of weaning from parenteral nutrition (PN) of infants with IF.

Methods: Clinical parameters, nutrition intakes, body weight and length z-scores were compared monthly from the 1st to 12th and at 18 and 24 months among infants receiving PN and those weaned.

Don't Forget the Bones: Incidence and Risk Factors of Metabolic Bone Disease in a Cohort of Preterm Infants.

Metabolic bone disease of prematurity (MBD) is a condition of reduced bone mineral content (BMC) compared to that expected for gestational age (GA). Preterm birth interrupts the physiological process of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) deposition that occurs mostly in the third trimester of pregnancy, leading to an inadequate bone mineralization during intrauterine life (IUL). After birth, an insufficient intake of Ca and P carries on this alteration, resulting in overt disease.

Energy Expenditure, Protein Oxidation and Body Composition in a Cohort of Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

Unlabelled: The nutritional management of preterm infants is a critical point of care, especially because of the increased risk of developing extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR), which is associated with worsened health outcomes. Energy requirements in preterm infants are simply estimated, so the measurement of resting energy expenditure (REE) should be a key point in the nutritional evaluation of preterm infants. Although predictive formulae are available, it is well known that they are imprecise.

COVID-19 pandemic in the neonatal intensive care unit: any effect on late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis?

The study was aimed at describing potential indirect effects of pandemic-related measures on very-low-birthweight infants in four Italian NICUs. No overall change in late-onset sepsis (LOS) and necrotizing enterocolitis was documented. However, in the NICU where baseline LOS rate was high, a significant reduction in LOS incidence was recorded.

The indirect calorimetry in very low birth weight preterm infants: An easier and reliable procedure.

Objectives: Preterm infants are at increased risk of developing extrauterine growth restriction, which is associated with worse health outcomes. The energy needs are not well known, as the measurement of resting energy expenditure (REE) using indirect calorimetry has critical issues when applied to infants. One of the main issues is the time required to obtain reliable data owing to the difficulty in keeping infants quiet during the entire examination.

The Potential Effects of Human Milk on Morbidity in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Infants.

Improvements in quality of care have led to a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity in preterm infants, especially very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants [...

Protein Intakes during Weaning from Parenteral Nutrition Drive Growth Gain and Body Composition in Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants.

Weaning from parenteral to enteral nutrition is a critical period to maintain an adequate growth in very low birth weight preterm infants (VLBWI). We evaluated the actual daily nutritional intakes during the transition phase (TP) in VLBWI with adequate and inadequate weight growth velocity (GV ≥ 15 vs. GV < 15 g/kg/day).

How does gestational age affect growth and body composition of preterm twins?

Background: Twins experience altered growth compared to singletons. The primary aim of this study was to compare growth and body composition (BC) of twin and singleton preterm infants from birth to 3 months according to gestational age (GA). Secondary aims were to evaluate the effect of chorionicity and mode of feeding on twins' BC.

The Effect of Human Milk on Modulating the Quality of Growth in Preterm Infants.

Human milk is the optimal nutrition for preterm infants. When the mother's own milk is unavailable, donor human milk is recommended as an alternative for preterm infants. The association among early nutrition, body composition and the future risk of disease has recently attracted much interest.

Is targeted fortification of human breast milk an optimal nutrition strategy for preterm infants? An interventional study.

Background: Fortifying human milk contributes to the prevention of postnatal growth failure in preterm infants. Because of the natural variability of human milk, targeted fortification of human milk has been advocated. However, data regarding the efficacy and safety of prolonged targeted fortification are scarce.

Is nutritional support needed in late preterm infants?

Background: Late preterm birth accounts for 70 % of all preterm births. While the impact of feeding problems in very preterm infants has been widely investigated, data on late preterm infants' feeding issues are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the need of nutritional support during hospital stay in a cohort of late preterm infants and to identify the factors that most contribute to its occurrence.

The role of nutrition in promoting growth in pre-term infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a prospective non-randomised interventional cohort study.

Background: Pre-term infants who develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are at risk of postnatal growth failure. It has been reported that energy expenditure is higher in infants with BPD than in those without BPD. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether increasing the enteral energy intake of pre-term infants with BPD can improve post-natal growth.

Randomized outcome trial of nutrient-enriched formula and neurodevelopment outcome in preterm infants.

Background: Preterm infants are at risk for adverse neurodevelopment. Furthermore, nutrition may play a key role in supporting neurodevelopment. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a nutrient-enriched formula fed to preterm infants after hospital discharge could improve their neurodevelopment at 24 months (term-corrected age).

Intervention for promoting breast milk use in neonatal intensive care unit: a pilot study.

Objective: The health benefits provided by breast milk are significant in preterm infants. Despite recommendations, rates of breastfeeding in preterm infants are lower than in term infants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a multidisciplinary intervention in promoting any breastfeeding in preterm infants at discharge.

Implementation of nutritional strategies decreases postnatal growth restriction in preterm infants.

Background: Prevention of postnatal growth restriction of very preterm infants still represents a challenge for neonatologists. As standard feeding regimens have proven to be inadequate. Improved feeding strategies are needed to promote growth.

Growth and fat-free mass gain in preterm infants after discharge: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate whether the consumption of a nutrient-enriched formula after hospital discharge determines different growth and weight gain composition in preterm infants according to intra- and extrauterine growth pattern.

Methods: Two hundred seven preterm infants were randomized at term-corrected age to receive treatment A (term formula) or B (nutrient-enriched formula) up to 6 months of corrected age, using 2 computer-generated randomization lists, 1 for adequate for gestational age (AGA) and 1 for small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Infants were weaned according to our clinical practice after 6 months' corrected age.

Effect of nutrition on growth and body composition in infants born preterm.

The optimization of the nutritional management of preterm infants has gained importance due to the increased survival of these vulnerable infants. In fact, the achievement of an adequate growth has been associated with a favourable neurodevelopment outcome. Nevertheless, preterm infants still develop severe nutrient deficiencies during the first few weeks of life so that they are frequently growth restricted upon discharge.

Postnatal catch-up fat after late preterm birth.

Background: Late preterm birth accounts for 70% of preterm births. The aim of the study was to investigate the postnatal weight gain and weight gain composition changes in a cohort of late preterm infants.

Methods: A total of 49 late preterm infants (mean birth weight 2,496 ± 330 g and gestational age 35.

Evaluation of air-displacement plethysmography for body composition assessment in preterm infants.

Background: Adiposity may contribute to the future risk of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of an air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) system to estimate percentage fat mass (%FM) in preterm infants and to evaluate interdevice reliability in infants.

Methods: A total of 70 preterm and 9 full-term infants were assessed.

Body composition in newborn infants: 5-year experience in an Italian neonatal intensive care unit.

The aim of nutrition in neonatology is to achieve a healthy growth that mimics, both in terms of growth rates and quality of growth, that of a normal fetus of the same gestational age. In addition, providing an optimal amount and quality of nutrients significantly contributes to the attainment of a neurodevelopment similar to that of an infant born at term. Yet, a high risk of developing metabolic syndrome in relation to aggressive nutrition and accelerated postnatal growth velocity has been reported in former preterm infants.

Rapid recovery of fat mass in small for gestational age preterm infants after term.

Background: Preterm small for gestational age (SGA) infants may be at risk for increased adiposity, especially when experiencing rapid postnatal weight gain. Data on the dynamic features of body weight and fat mass (FM) gain that occurs early in life is scarce. We investigated the postnatal weight and FM gain during the first five months after term in a cohort of preterm infants.

Quality of growth in exclusively breast-fed infants in the first six months of life: an Italian study.

Nutrition in early life, growth, and subsequent health over a lifetime are significantly interrelated. The aim of this study was to assess body composition changes in exclusively breast-fed infants from birth up to 6 mo of age. An observational, prospective, cohort study was conducted.

F2-isoprostanes and total radical-trapping antioxidant potential in preterm infants receiving parenteral lipid emulsions.

Objective: We assessed the effects of three different parenteral lipid emulsions (long-chain triacylglycerols, medium-chain/long-chain triacylglycerols, olive oil) on lipid peroxidation in preterm infants. The hypothesis to be tested was that preterm infants receiving the olive oil-based lipid emulsion would undergo less peroxidation than preterm infants receiving lipid emulsions based on long- or medium-chain triacylglycerols. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether the lipid peroxidation persists beyond the cessation of parenteral nutrition (PN).

Neonatal period: body composition changes in breast-fed full-term newborns.

Background: Weight loss during initial days of life in healthy infants is known to consist of loss of both body solids and total body water. However, the nature of these body composition changes needs further investigation.

Objective: To investigate the nature of changes in body composition that accompany weight loss during the first days of life in healthy term newborns.