Parenteral amino acid intakes: possible influences of higher intakes on growth and bone status in preterm infants.

S Scattolin, P Gaio, M Betto, S Palatron, F De Terlizzi, F Intini, G Visintin, G Verlato

Journal: Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 2013;33(1):33-9

PMID: 22517036

Full Text on Nature Publishing Group View on PubMed

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To study the possible influences of amino acid (AA) intakes on growth and bone status in preterms.

STUDY DESIGN

Newborns, weighing <1250 g, received standard (S) or higher (H) parenteral AA intakes (3 or 4 g kg(-1) per day). Anthropometry, biochemistry and quantitative ultrasound (metacarpus bone transmission time (mcBTT), in μs) were measured prospectively.

RESULT

A total of 55 patients in group S and 60 in group H were studied. Significantly better growth rate was found in the H group during the study without signs of intolerance. We found a significant decrease in mcBTT from birth to 21 days in the H group; nonetheless, mcBTT at 36 weeks of gestational age significantly positively correlated with early AA and energy intakes. A significant positive correlation between mcBTT and lower limb length (LLL) at 21 days was found.

CONCLUSION

Early higher AA intakes improved growth without short-term AA intolerance. Nutritional parameters could influence bone growth. LLL was the anthropometric parameter that best correlated to bone status.

Address: Department of Pediatrics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

DOI: 10.1038/jp.2012.44

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MeSH Terms: Amino Acids, Anthropometry, Bone Density, Bone Development, Energy Intake, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Premature, Diseases, Infant, Very Low Birth Weight, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Italy, Male, Metacarpus, Parenteral Nutrition, Total, Ultrasonography