Sanket D Shah1, Natalie Booth2, Padma Nandula3, Kartikeya Makker4, Josef Cortez3, Renu Sharma3, Carmen Smotherman5, Mark L Hudak3. 1. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA. sdshah_5@yahoo.com. 2. Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA. 3. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA. 4. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Children's Center, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. 5. Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a standardized feeding protocol (SFP) on growth velocity (GV) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in extremely low birth weight infants. METHODS: This single-study center retrospectively compared growth, nutritional, and gastrointestinal outcomes in two infant cohorts before (cohort 1; n = 145) and after (cohort 2; n = 69) SFP implementation. RESULTS: Although weekly GV in the first 4 weeks of life did not differ between the two cohorts, median GV at 36 weeks' post-menstrual age (PMA) was higher in cohort 2 compared with cohort 1 (26.8 g/day [24.7, 28.9] vs 24.9 g/day [22.9, 28.3], p = 0.02). The odds of NEC were lower in cohort 2 by 63% after adjusting for birth weight, small-for-gestational-age, and gender (OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.142-0.993, p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Our SFP was associated with improved GV at 36 weeks' PMA and a lower adjusted rate of NEC.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a standardized feeding protocol (SFP) on growth velocity (GV) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in extremely low birth weight infants. METHODS: This single-study center retrospectively compared growth, nutritional, and gastrointestinal outcomes in two infant cohorts before (cohort 1; n = 145) and after (cohort 2; n = 69) SFP implementation. RESULTS: Although weekly GV in the first 4 weeks of life did not differ between the two cohorts, median GV at 36 weeks' post-menstrual age (PMA) was higher in cohort 2 compared with cohort 1 (26.8 g/day [24.7, 28.9] vs 24.9 g/day [22.9, 28.3], p = 0.02). The odds of NEC were lower in cohort 2 by 63% after adjusting for birth weight, small-for-gestational-age, and gender (OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.142-0.993, p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Our SFP was associated with improved GV at 36 weeks' PMA and a lower adjusted rate of NEC.