Maria Lorella Giannì1, Patrizio Sannino2, Elena Bezze3, Laura Plevani4, Chiara Esposito5, Salvatore Muscolo6, Paola Roggero7, Fabio Mosca8. 1. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: maria.gianni@unimi.it. 2. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, S.I.T.R.A. Basic Education Sector, Via Francesco Sforza 28, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: patrizio.sannino@unimi.it. 3. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, S.I.T.R.A. Basic Education Sector, Via Francesco Sforza 28, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: elena.bezze@policlinico.mi.it. 4. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: laura.plevani@policlinico.mi.it. 5. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: chiara.esposito2@studenti.unimi.it. 6. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: salvatore.muscolo@policlinco.mi.it. 7. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: paola.roggero@unimi.it. 8. Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: fabio.mosca@unimi.it.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Very preterm infants frequently experience difficulties in achieving feeding independency. The availability of feeding assessment instruments has been recommended to evaluate an infant's readiness for oral feeding and enable preterm infants' caregivers to document each infant's feeding readiness and advancements. AIMS: To investigate the implementation of the Infant Driven Scale in neonatal intensive care units and to identify a cut off value associated with delayed feeding independency. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational, single-centre study. SUBJECTS: A total of 47 infants born at a gestational age≤32weeks, consecutively admitted to a tertiary neonatal unit between July 2015 and March 2016. OUTCOMES MEASURES: The infant's feeding readiness and the postmenstrual age at achievement of feeding independency. RESULTS: Mean postmenstrual age at feeding independency was 35.6±1.34weeks. A linear regression analysis showed that a score≤8 at 32weeks of postmenstrual age was associated with a delay of 1.8weeks in achieving feeding independency. CONCLUSION: The Infant Driven Scale appears to be a useful additional instrument for the assessment of preterm infants' oral feeding readiness and the early identification of the infants at risk for delayed feeding independency.
BACKGROUND: Very preterm infants frequently experience difficulties in achieving feeding independency. The availability of feeding assessment instruments has been recommended to evaluate an infant's readiness for oral feeding and enable preterm infants' caregivers to document each infant's feeding readiness and advancements. AIMS: To investigate the implementation of the Infant Driven Scale in neonatal intensive care units and to identify a cut off value associated with delayed feeding independency. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational, single-centre study. SUBJECTS: A total of 47 infants born at a gestational age≤32weeks, consecutively admitted to a tertiary neonatal unit between July 2015 and March 2016. OUTCOMES MEASURES: The infant's feeding readiness and the postmenstrual age at achievement of feeding independency. RESULTS: Mean postmenstrual age at feeding independency was 35.6±1.34weeks. A linear regression analysis showed that a score≤8 at 32weeks of postmenstrual age was associated with a delay of 1.8weeks in achieving feeding independency. CONCLUSION: The Infant Driven Scale appears to be a useful additional instrument for the assessment of preterm infants' oral feeding readiness and the early identification of the infants at risk for delayed feeding independency.