Preterm infants have altered body composition compared to term infants, which impacts both neurodevelopment and metabolic health, but whether increased dietary intake during hospitalization, independent of illness, may improve body composition is unknown. This prospective, longitudinal study (n = 103) measured fat-free mass (FFM) and percent body fat (%BF) at discharge and four months corrected age for prematurity (CA) in very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants. Markers of illness and macronutrient intakes (protein and caloric) were recorded. Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III (BSID) were administered at 12 and 24 months of age in a subset of these infants (n = 66 and n = 50 respectively). Body composition z-scores were calculated using recently developed reference curves. Linear regression was used to test the associations between clinical factors and body composition z-scores, as well as z-scores and BSID scores. Increased calories and protein received in the first week after birth and protein intake throughout hospitalization were associated with increased FFM z-scores at discharge, but not with %BF z-scores. After adjustment for both early acute and chronic illness, associations of nutrient intake with FFM z-score remained unchanged. FFM z-scores at discharge were positively associated with scores on the BSID at 12 and 24 months CA. In conclusion, increased energy and protein intakes both early in hospitalization and across its entire duration are associated with higher FFM at discharge, a key marker for organ growth and neurodevelopment in the VLBW neonate. Optimizing caloric intake, irrespective of illness is critical for enhancing body composition, and by extension, neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm infants.

Retrospective studies indicate that the parenteral provision of calories, proteins, and lipids in the first week of life is associated with improved later neurodevelopment. We aimed to determine whether infants randomized to an enhanced parenteral nutrition protocol had improved developmental outcomes at 4, 12, or 24 months corrected age (CA). In total, 90 preterm infants (<32 weeks gestational age and <1500 g) were randomized to receive enhanced parenteral nutrition (PN) or standard PN during the first week of life. The enhanced group received a higher glucose infusion rate and intralipids. Neurodevelopmental outcomes included pattern-reversal visually evoked potentials (VEP) at 4 months CA (n = 33) and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) at 12 (n = 46) and 24 (n = 29) months CA. P100 latency was longer in the intervention group, indicating slower processing speed (145 vs. 178 ms, p = 0.01). This association did not hold in multivariable analysis adjusting for potentially confounding variables. BSID scores were not associated with enhanced PN. Higher enteral energy and protein intake regardless of randomization group were associated with faster processing speed at 4 months CA (p ≤ 0.02 for both). Enhanced early PN was not associated with improved neurodevelopment; however, first-week enteral caloric and protein intake were associated with improved speed of processing.

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and safety of enhanced early (PN) (early initiation of intralipids and faster advancement of glucose infusion rate) during the first week of life for very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> 90 VLBW preterm infants (&#x3c;32 weeks gestational age at birth) admitted to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital between August 2017 and June 2019 were included. Enrolled infants were stratified by gestational age-groups and randomized to either the enhanced nutrition protocol (intervention group) or the standard PN protocol (standard group). Welch’s two-sample <i>t</i> tests were used to investigate differences in calorie and protein intake, insulin use, days of hyperglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and hypertriglyceridemia, and proportion of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and death between groups. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Intervention and standard groups were similar in baseline characteristics. The intervention group received higher weekly mean caloric intake (102.6 [SD 24.9] kcal/kg/day versus 89.7 [SD 30.2] kcal/kg/day; <i>p</i> = 0.001) and higher mean caloric intake on days of life 2–4 (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05 for all). Both groups received the recommended protein intake (≥4 g/kg/day). There were no significant differences in safety or feasibility outcomes between groups (all <i>p</i> values &#x3e;0.12). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Utilization of an enhanced nutrition protocol during the first week of life resulted in increased caloric intake and was feasible with no evidence of harm. Follow-up of this cohort is needed to determine if enhanced PN will result in improved growth and neurodevelopment.

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