Effects Of Early Nutrition On The Growth And Development Of Premature Infants

Objective:To explore effects of early nutrition on the growth and development of premature infants.Methods:120preterm infants admitted to our NICU from January2011to December2012were collected and reviewed. Their early nutrition support and growth after birth were analyzed. According to the different amounts of protein, fat, calorie intake during the first2weeks,120premature infants were divided into6groups:high protein group and low protein group, high fat group and low fat group, high calorie group and low calorie group, respectively. The amounts of protein intake in the high protein group were larger than3.3g/(kg. d), while in the low protein group they were less than or equal to3.3g/(kg.d) during the first2weeks. The amounts of fat intake in the high fat group were at least3.6g/(kg. d) while in the low fat group they were less than3.6g/(kg.d) during the first2weeks. The amounts of calorie intake in the high calorie group were at least120kcal, while in the low calorie group they were less than120kcal during the first2weeks. The physical parameters of infants’development were evaluated, including body weight,length and head circumference at corrected gestational age of40weeks,1months,3months,6months,12months respectively. The incidence of EUGR, the incidence of complete catch up growth, the mental development index (MDI) and psyehomotor development index (PDI) were compared among different groups. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association of body weight, length and head circumference, MDI and PDI at corrected gestational age of12months of infants.Results:1. Effects of early nutrition support on preterm infants’physical development.①Between high protein group and low protein group, the difference of weight and height gain at corrected gestational age of40weeks,1months,3months,6months12months was significant (P<0.05). The difference of head circumference at corrected gestational age of40weeks,1months,3months,6months was significant(P<0.05). Between high protein group and low protein group, the differences of EUGR incidences was significant(P<0.05), using weight, length and head circumference as the growth parameters, evaluation criteria as higher than the tenth percentile of growth curve. For the different incidence of EUGR, infants of high protein group were better than those of low protein group.②Between high fat group and low fat group, the difference of weight gain at corrected gestational age of40weeks was significant (P<0.05). The difference of height and head circumference at corrected gestational age of40weeks,1months,3months,6months,12months was not significant(P>0.05). Between high fat group and low fat group, using weight as the growth parameters, the differences of EUGR incidences at corrected gestational age of40weeks, were all significant(P<0.05).③Between high calorie group and low calorie group, the difference of weight gain at corrected gestational age of40weeks,1months,3months,6months,12months was significant (P<0.05), and the difference of height and head circumference at corrected gestational age of40weeks,1months,3months was significant (P<0.05). Between high calorie group and low calorie group, the differences of EUGR incidences at corrected gestational age of40weeks,1months,3months,6months,12months were all significant(P<0.05).For the different incidence of EUGR, infants of high calorie group were lower than those of low calorie group.2. Effects of early nutrition on preterm infants’intellectual and movement development.The MDI and PDI of infants of high protein group were9.2and11.26points higher than those of low protein group respectively. Between high fat group and low fat group, the MDI and PDI were no significantly different. The MDI and PDI of infants in the high calorie group were6.42and8.32points higher than those in low calorie group respectively.3. Effects of physical development on preterm infants’intellectual and movement development. Body weight at corrected gestational age of12months was not correlated with MDI and PDI of infants(P>0.05). Length circumference at corrected gestational age of12months were positively correlated with MDI and PDI of infants. r=0.355,r=0.702, respectively. Head circumference at corrected gestational age of12months were positively correlated with MDI and PDI of infants.,r=0.678,r=0.686, respectively.Conclusions:l. Reasonable protein and calorie intake could promote growth and development of premature infants, and could increase the incidence of catch up growth.2. Protein and energy intake could promote mental and psychomotor development of premature infants.3. Development of weight and head circumference at corrected gestational age of12months was positively correlated with MDI and PDI of infants.