Enhancing Interpretation of One-Time Body Composition Measurement at Near-Term Gestation in Preterm Infants: An Exploratory Study

In preterm infants, longitudinal growth patterns have a stronger association with clinical outcomes than cross-sectional metrics. For qualitative growth, a one-time body composition measurement at near term is common, and here we explore the potential use of a novel estimated longitudinal body composition metric (adjusted fat-free mass deficit) using birth anthropometrics. KEY POINTS: · Longitudinal growth patterns are better linked with clinical outcomes in preterm infants.. · Body composition is increasingly used to assess the quality of postnatal growth in preterm infants.. · Single body composition at term adjusted using birth weight may be better predictive for outcomes..

Pediatric Intestinal Transplantation Management and Outcomes

Intestinal failure is the anatomic or functional loss of intestinal function below the minimum required to absorb nutrients to maintain health and growth. Parenteral nutrition is the main supportive therapy for children with intestinal failure, but if serious complications develop, intestinal transplantation may be needed to sustain life. Referral to a multidisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation team and an extensive evaluation are necessary steps before listing for transplantation. Immunosuppression is part of life-long therapy after transplantation, and children continue to have high medical needs. Serious complications include acute cellular rejection, graft-versus-host disease, infection, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. However, intestinal transplantation has led to improved outcomes in recent years and is a viable life-saving option for many children with intestinal failure.

Single-Center Experience on Growth in Infants Born With End-Stage Kidney Disease

OBJECTIVES

Children with chronic kidney disease display poor growth that impacts health outcomes; data on infants with severe congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are limited. We examined growth patterns in infants with CAKUT requiring dialysis in the first 30 days.

METHODS

This study evaluated infants with severe CAKUT from 2014 to 2018 surviving past 30 days. Somatic growth parameters as per standard infant curves and nutritional information were recorded.

RESULTS

Twenty four infants met inclusion criteria. Seventeen infants received dialysis, demonstrating somatic growth disruption most profound at a 1-2 months postnatal age. Growth trends were improved compared to infants with CAKUT who did not require dialysis. Linear growth failed to normalize by 1 year of age.

CONCLUSIONS

Infants with severe CAKUT are at high risk for early growth failure. Understanding of this deficit and impacts of early dialysis on growth and long-term outcomes are needed to identify targeted nutritional strategies.

Body Composition of Infants With Congenital Gastroschisis

ABSTRACT

Infants born with congenital gastroschisis are at risk for intrauterine growth restriction, small for gestational size at birth, and growth failure during the newborn period despite advanced care. Body composition provides a more complete picture of proportional growth than weight and length alone. Fat-free mass (FFM) represents organ growth, and in preterm infants without gastroschisis, improved FFM deposition is associated with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes. There is limited literature regarding the body composition of infants with gastroschisis. This case series describes the body composition of 10 infants with gastroschisis.

Quality Improvement Efforts Reduce Incidence of Surgical Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Related Deaths

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether a regional quality improvement (QI) initiative decreased incidence and severity of surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective review of all VLBW infants who received care at one of the three hospitals involved in a NEC QI initiative from 2011 to 2016. Primary outcome was the number of surgical NEC cases per year. Secondary outcomes included associated outcomes and mortality.

RESULTS

Sixty-three infants with either a diagnosis of Stage III NEC (n = 40) or spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) (n = 23) were included. The incidence of medical and surgical NEC and the mortality rate of infants with surgical NEC decreased over time. Incidence and mortality of SIP did not significantly change.

CONCLUSION

A regional QI bundle to reduce the overall incidence of NEC also significantly decreased the incidence of surgical NEC and all-cause mortality of infants diagnosed with surgical NEC.

KEY POINTS

· QI reduces surgical necrotizing enterocolitis.. · Reduction in NEC rate improves mortality.. · Human milk does not change SIP incidence..

Effect of parenteral nutrition duration on patterns of growth and body composition in very low-birth-weight premature infants

BACKGROUND

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is essential to support premature infants' growth and varies with enteral nutrition (EN) advancement rates. Data on PN duration's impact on premature infants' growth are limited. The aim of this multicenter observational study was to determine the effect of early PN duration on body composition at term corrected gestational age (CGA) in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) premature infants.

METHODS

VLBW infants exposed to PN in the first week of life and exposed to significantly different EN regimens were divided into two groups on the basis of early PN duration. Infants with a birth weight (BW) <1000 g and PN duration <28 days and infants with a BW 1000-1500 g and PN duration <14 days were assigned to the "short-PN" group. Infants receiving PN for longer durations were assigned to the "long-PN" group. Body composition was assessed via air displacement plethysmography at term CGA or before discharge.

RESULTS

Sixty-two and 53 infants were assigned to the short-PN and long-PN groups, respectively. The two groups were significantly different in BW and GA, so a nested case-control study was conducted after matching 36 infant pairs. Infants in the long-PN group had significantly lower fat-free mass (FFM) z-scores, but both groups had comparable fat mass (FM) z-scores. Long PN was a significant negative predictor of FFM z-score in the multivariate regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

In VLBW premature infants, PN duration is negatively associated with FFM z-scores at term CGA without affecting FM z-scores.

Hepatic Steatosis in Infancy: The Beginning of Pediatric Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is clinically silent and the age of its onset is unknown. Fatty liver can occur as early as in utero in the context of an unfavorable maternal metabolic environment. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of hepatic steatosis in a cohort of previously healthy infants less than 3 months of age.

Methods

Retrospective study of all abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans performed from 2009 to 2019 for the investigation of trauma. Two independent reviewers applied published criteria to determine the presence of hepatic steatosis. Descriptive statistics were used. The groups with and without steatosis were compared using Wilcoxon-Mann Whitney or Fisher exact test.

Results

Of 119 CT scans available in infants younger than 3 months of age, 65 were performed in previously healthy infants for the investigation of trauma. The included population was predominantly male, non-Hispanic, with a median age of 60 days (interquartile range, 34-73 d). Depending on the criteria used, 23% or 26% of infants had evidence of fatty liver. The prevalence of maternal obesity and/or diabetes was 11% (of the 65 pregnancies) but there was no significant difference in maternal risk factors between infants with and without evidence of steatosis.

Conclusions

Findings suggest CT evidence of hepatic steatosis in up to a quarter of otherwise healthy infants ≤3 months of age. This may represent early manifestation of pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The natural history and pathophysiology of this condition need to be studied to determine optimal detection, prevention and early intervention strategies.

Delay in achieving enteral autonomy and growth outcomes in very low birth weight infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis

OBJECTIVE

To understand the nutritional intake and growth outcomes of very low birth weight infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

STUDY DESIGN

In a retrospective cohort study, linear mixed models were used to compare growth outcomes from birth to 24 months corrected age for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with surgical NEC to those with spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP). Kaplan-Meier curves were developed to demonstrate the duration of parenteral nutrition (PN) use.

RESULT

Height differed by surgical NEC and SIP over time (interaction p = 0.03). Surviving infants with surgical NEC had lower head circumference z-scores at 24 months. Of infants surviving surgical NEC, 71% received PN for >60 days after diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

The majority of infants with surgical NEC have a delay in achieving enteral autonomy. There was a difference in linear catch-up growth over time between infants with SIP and surgical NEC at 24 months.

Nutrition for the Extremely Preterm Infant

With advancements in the care of preterm infants, the goals in nutritional care have expanded from survival and mimicking fetal growth to optimizing neurodevelopmental outcomes. Inadequate nutritional support may be a risk factor for major complications of prematurity; conversely, higher disease burden is a risk for growth restriction. Early complete parenteral nutrition support, including intravenous lipid emulsion, should be adopted, and the next challenge that should be addressed is parenteral nutrition customized to fit the specific needs and metabolism of the extremely preterm infant. Standardized feeding protocols should be adopted.

Effects of parenteral phosphorus dose restriction in preterm infants

BACKGROUND

In response to a national shortage of parenteral phosphorus solutions (2013), a hospital-wide phosphorus dose restriction strategies was implemented which included judicious use of phosphorus in preterm infants <1250 g birth weight and no parenteral phosphorus in preterm infants >1250 g birth weight unless they have a critically low phosphorus level.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of parenteral phosphorus dose restriction in preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.

METHODS

Preterm infants (≤35 weeks birth gestation and ≤2500 g birth weight) who received parenteral nutrition, survived >1 week and had no major congenital anomalies were studied. Clinical and laboratory data in the first 4 weeks of life of infants admitted during the parenteral phosphorus shortage (cases) were compared to infants who were admitted 6 months prior to the shortage (controls).

RESULTS

Twenty consecutive cases were compared to 40 consecutive controls. Cases had lower serum phosphorus levels, higher serum alkaline phosphatase levels, and need for greater inotropic support compared to controls. These differences were significant only in preterm infants with birth weight >1250 g, the group who received more parenteral phosphorus dose restriction while they were similar in preterm infants with birth weight <1250 g.

CONCLUSION

The modest effects of phosphorus dose restriction may become more clinically important if shortage is prolonged or severe or if it involves extreme preterm infants.

Standardized Slow Enteral Feeding Protocol and the Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

BACKGROUND

Compared with early enteral feeds, the delayed introduction and slow advancement of enteral feedings to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are not well studied in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effects of a standardized slow enteral feeding (SSEF) protocol in ELBW infants.

METHODS

ELBW infants who followed an SSEF protocol (September 2009 to December 2012) were compared with a similar group of historical controls (January 2003 to July 2009). Short-term outcomes between the 2 groups were compared by propensity score (PS) analysis.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-five infants in the SSEF group were compared with 294 historical controls. Compared with the controls, feeding initiation day, full enteral feeding day, parenteral nutrition (PN) days, and total central line days were longer in the SSEF group. There was no significant difference in overall NEC (5.6% vs 11.2%, respectively; P = .10) or surgical NEC (1.6% vs 4.8%, respectively; P = .17) between the SSEF group and controls. However, in infants with birth weight <750 g, NEC (2.1% vs 16.2%, respectively; P < .01) or combined NEC/death (12.8% vs 29.5%, respectively; P = .03) was significantly less in the SSEF group compared with controls. In infants who survived to discharge, there was no significant difference in the discharge weight or length of stay in PS-adjusted analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

An SSEF protocol significantly reduces the incidence of NEC and combined NEC/death in infants with birth weight <750 g. Despite taking longer to achieve full enteral feeding on this protocol, surviving ELBW infants demonstrated comparable weight gain at discharge without prolonging their hospital stay.

Metabolic bone disease: a continued challenge in extremely low birth weight infants

BACKGROUND

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is an important prematurity-related morbidity, but remains inadequately investigated in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, the group most at risk. The objective was to describe the incidence and associated risk factors of MBD in ELBW infants.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of all ELBW infants admitted between January 2005 and December 2010 who survived > 8 weeks. MBD was defined as the presence of osteopenia or rickets in radiographs.

RESULTS

Of the 230 infants included in the study, 71 (30.9%) developed radiological evidence of MBD (cases) of which 24/71 (33.8%) developed spontaneous fractures. MBD and fractures were noted at mean postnatal ages of 58.2 ± 28 and 100.0 ± 61 days, respectively. Compared with controls, cases were smaller at birth (664.6 ± 146 g vs 798.1 ± 129 g), more premature (25.0 ± 1.8 vs 26.4 ± 1.9 weeks), more frequently associated with mechanical ventilation, chronic lung disease, parenteral nutrition days, cholestasis, furosemide, postnatal steroids, and antibiotics use (all P < .01). Cases had lower average weekly intake of calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D, protein, and calories during the first 8 weeks of life compared with controls. Cases with MBD, compared with controls, had higher mortality (14.1 vs 4.4%) and longer hospital stay (140.2 ± 51 vs 101.0 ± 42 days; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

MBD remains an important morbidity in ELBW infants despite advances in neonatal nutrition. Further research is needed to optimize the management of chronic lung disease and early nutrition in ELBW infants.