Parenteral Nutrition in Moderately Preterm, Otherwise Healthy Neonates Is Not Associated With Improved Short-Term Growth Outcomes

• Published in: JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition Vol. 44; no. 8; p. 1519
• Main Authors: Prusakov, Pavel, Speaks, Sunday, Magers, Jacqueline S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Enterocolitis, Necrotizing - epidemiology; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Parenteral Nutrition; Retrospective Studies; neonates; nutrition assessment; parenteral nutrition; nutrition support practice
• ISSN: 1941-2444
• DOI: 10.1002/jpen.1785

Parenteral nutrition (PN) serves a crucial role in providing nutrition to extremely premature infants who are at high risk for malnutrition. However, little is known about the impact of PN on short-term growth outcomes in moderately preterm infants. In this retrospective cohort analysis, patients were included in the study if they were born at ≥32 but <34 weeks gestational age and had no major comorbidities. The primary outcome of this study was to determine whether initiation of early PN for these patients has any effect on daily weight gain compared with standard dextrose-containing fluids (DCFs). Secondary outcomes were to evaluate the differences in time to regain birth weight, length of stay, and change in weight, length, and head circumference percentiles from birth to discharge. Incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, antibiotic usage, or supplemental oxygen utilization was also evaluated. There were 89 patients in the PN group and 35 patients in the DCF group. The mean daily weight gain was not different between PN and DCF groups when calculated from birth to discharge (11.8 vs 10 g/kg/d, respectively; P = .09). There were also no differences when weight gain was calculated from nadir to discharge: 16.8 vs 15.2 g/kg/d, respectively (P = .1). Lack of differences persisted even when propensity matching was performed. Based on the study findings, neonates born ≥32 weeks of gestational age without any major comorbidities are unlikely to benefit from PN supplementation.