Measurement of oxygen uptake in newborn infants during assisted and spontaneous ventilation

Acute effects of intravenous glutamine supplementation on protein metabolism in very low birth weight infants: a stable isotope study

Although very low birth weight infants are subjected to severe stress and glutamine is now considered a conditionally essential amino acid that may attenuate stress-induced protein wasting in adults, current amino acid solutions designed for neonatal parenteral nutrition do not contain glutamine. To determine whether a short-term supplementation with i.v. glutamine would affect protein metabolism in very low birth weight infants, 13 preterm neonates (gestational age, 28-30 wk; birth weight, 820-1610 g) receiving parenteral nutrition supplying 1.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) amino acids and approximately 60 nonprotein kcal x kg(-1) x d(-1) were randomized to receive an i.v. supplement made of either 1) natural L-glutamine (0.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1); glutamine group), or 2) an isonitrogenous glutamine-free amino acid mixture (control group), for 24 h starting on the third day of life. On the fourth day of life, they received a 2-h infusion of NaH(13)CO(3) to assess the recovery of (13)C in breath, immediately followed by a 3-h L-[1-(13)C]leucine infusion. Plasma ammonia did not differ between the groups. Glutamine supplementation was associated with 1) higher plasma glutamine (629 +/- 94 versus 503 +/- 83 microM, mean +/- SD; p < 0.05, one-tailed unpaired t test), 2) lower rates of leucine release from protein breakdown (-16%, p < 0.05) and leucine oxidation (-35%, p < 0.05), 3) a lower rate of nonoxidative leucine disposal, an index of protein synthesis (-20%, p < 0.05), and 4) no change in protein balance (nonoxidative leucine disposal - leucine release from protein breakdown, NS). We conclude that although parenteral glutamine failed to enhance rates of protein synthesis, glutamine may have an acute protein-sparing effect, as it suppressed leucine oxidation and protein breakdown, in parenterally fed very low birth weight infants.

In vitro validation and clinical testing of an indirect calorimetry system for ventilated preterm infants that is unaffected by endotracheal tube leaks and can be used during nasal continuous positive airway pressure

Energy expenditure measurements in ventilated preterm infants are difficult because indirect calorimetry underestimates energy expenditure during gas leaks around uncuffed endotracheal tubes routinely used in preterm infants or during nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). We, therefore, developed a breath collector that simultaneously sampled expired air expelled at the ventilator outlet and escaping via the tube leak from the infant's mouth and nose. Our breath collector was combined with a proprietary calorimeter (Deltatrac II). In vitro validation was done by methanol burning (VO(2), 13.8 mL/min; VCO(2), 9.2 mL/min) during intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) with two commonly used ventilators (Sechrist IV-100B and Infant Star). Measurement error was determined at different ventilator flows, peak inspiratory pressures of 12-24 cm H(2)O, and during a complete tube leak. The mean measurement error with both ventilators was low (VO(2) +/- 3 %, VCO(2) +/- 2 %) even during a complete tube leak and did not increase with peak inspiratory pressure. The system response time was 2 min. In vivo measurements at the bedside were performed in 25 preterm infants (body weight, 537-1402 g). Energy expenditure during IPPV was 40 +/- 9 kcal/kg per day and 46 +/- 15 kcal/kg per day during nasal CPAP. The tube leak in the preterm infants studied during IPPV was 0 to 47 %, and during nasal CPAP 84 to 97 %. In conclusion, indirect calorimetry performed with our breath collector was accurate during IPPV and nasal CPAP and was unaffected by tube leaks.

Leucine metabolism in preterm infants receiving parenteral nutrition with medium-chain compared with long-chain triacylglycerol emulsions

BACKGROUND

Although medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs) may be utilized more efficiently than long-chain triacylglycerols (LCTs), their effect on protein metabolism remains controversial.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of mixed MCT-LCT and pure LCT emulsions on leucine metabolism in preterm infants.

DESIGN

Fourteen preterm [gestational age: 30+/-1 wk; birth weight: 1409+/-78 g (x +/- SE)] neonates were randomly assigned to receive, from the first day of life, either a 50:50 MCT-LCT (mixed MCT group; n = 7) or an LCT (LCT group; n = 7) lipid emulsion as part of an isonitrogenous, isoenergetic total parenteral nutrition program. On the fourth day, infants received intravenous feeding providing 3 g lipid, 15 g glucose, and 3 g amino acids kg(-1) x d(-1) and underwent 1) indirect calorimetry and 2) a primed, 2-h infusion of H13CO3Na to assess the recovery of 13C in breath, immediately followed by 3) a 3-h infusion of L-[1-13C]leucine.

RESULTS

The respiratory quotient tended to be slightly but not significantly higher in the mixed MCT than in the LCT group (0.96+/-0.06 compared with 0.93+/-0.03). We did not detect a significant difference between the mixed MCT and LCT groups with regard to release of leucine from protein breakdown (B; 309+/-40 compared with 257+/-46 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)) and nonoxidative leucine disposal (NOLD; 296+/-36 compared with 285+/-49 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1)). In contrast, leucine oxidation was greater in the mixed MCT than in the LCT group (113+/-10 compared with 67+/-10 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1); P = 0.007). Net leucine balance (NOLD - B) was less positive in the mixed MCT than in the LCT group (-14+/-9 compared with 28+/-10 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1); P = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

Mixed MCTs may not be as effective as LCT-containing emulsions in promoting protein accretion in parenterally fed preterm neonates.

Oxygen cost of breathing in newborn infants with long-term ventilatory support

Oxygen consumption (VO2) was measured during controlled and spontaneous ventilation with continuous positive airway pressure in newborn infants in whom chronic lung disease later developed. The oxygen cost of breathing (the difference in VO2 between spontaneous and controlled ventilation) was significantly higher in infants with chronic lung disease than in control infants (20.1% +/- 7.5% and 4.8% +/- 4.9% of VO2 during spontaneous ventilation (p < 0.05), respectively).