Protein and energy intake and nutritional evolution of preterm infants after hospital discharge: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND:Preterm infants, especially those with very low birth weight, are more susceptible to nutritional deficiencies and growth restriction after hospital discharge than term infants. AIMS:To investigate the association between energy and protein intake and nutritional evolution of preterm infants during the first year of life of corrected age after hospital discharge. STUDY DESIGN:This is a retrospective longitudinal study with 131 preterm infants born at a high-risk neonatal clinic. SUBJECTS:Neonates born at <32 weeks of gestational age and with birth weight < 1500 g were included in the study. OUTCOMES MEASURES:Growth was assessed by z-scores for weight- and length-to age. Energy and protein intake were assessed by caloric and protein intake rate per kilogram of body weight. Changes in growth were evaluated according to caloric rate and energy intake using linear mixed-effect models. RESULTS:We found that most of the followed-up children (62.3%) had an average daily energy intake <120 kcal/kg of body weight. At the end of the first year of life based on corrected age, the variation in weight gain was greater among those with more severe nutritional deficit at born and who had daily intakes over 130 kcal/kg of body weight (p=0.02) or over 3.5 g of protein/kg of body weight (p=0.03). CONCLUSION:Individualized dietary plans for preterm infants should be based on the continuous assessment of growth and weight gain.