Acid-Base Homeostasis of Low-Birth-Weight and Full-Term Infants in Early Life

Unfortunately, premature birth occurs commonly in the United States. Improving the survival of very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants depends in large part upon understanding the physiologic capabilities of their immature organ systems and providing appropriate support as they mature. Advances in the nutritional support of these infants have contributed to the better outcomes we have come to expect today, even for the smallest infants. In this review, we will discuss the limitations of gastrointestinal function and the unique nutritional requirements of very low-birth-weight infants and describe the current methods of enteral and parenteral nutrition support used to meet these requirements. Developmental Physiology By 24 to 26 weeks of gestation, the fetal gastrointestinal tract is morphologically similar to that of the full-term infant; however, functional development is far from complete. Maturation of gastrointestinal motility, digestion, and absorption continues through much of the first year of life, even in full-term infants, as a result of an interplay between the preprogrammed "biological clock" and environmental influences. The decision to feed the VLBW infant must take into account the developmental limitations as well as the potential for enhancing intestinal maturation at each stage of development (Table 1). Fetal swallowing is evident at the beginning of the second trimester.

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Growth, lung function, and physical activity in schoolchildren who were very-low-birth-weight preterm infants

Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia ◽

10.1590/s1806-37562015000000159 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 42 (4) ◽

pp. 254-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Aline Dill Winck ◽

João Paulo Heinzmann-Filho ◽

Deise Schumann ◽

Helen Zatti ◽

Rita Mattiello ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Lung Function ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Full Term ◽

Normal Birth Weight ◽

Term Infants ◽

Normal Birth

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare somatic growth, lung function, and level of physical activity in schoolchildren who had been very-low-birth-weight preterm infants (VLBWPIs) or normal-birth-weight full-term infants. Methods: We recruited two groups of schoolchildren between 8 and 11 years of age residing in the study catchment area: those who had been VLBWPIs (birth weight < 1,500 g); and those who had been normal-birth-weight full-term infants (controls, birth weight ≥ 2,500 g). Anthropometric and spirometric data were collected from the schoolchildren, who also completed a questionnaire regarding their physical activity. In addition, data regarding the perinatal and neonatal period were collected from the medical records of the VLBWPIs. Results: Of the 93 schoolchildren screened, 48 and 45 were in the VLBWPI and control groups, respectively. No significant differences were found between the groups regarding anthropometric characteristics, nutritional status, or pulmonary function. No associations were found between perinatal/neonatal variables and lung function parameters in the VLBWPI group. Although the difference was not significant, the level of physical activity was slightly higher in the VLBWPI group than in the control group. Conclusions: Among the schoolchildren evaluated here, neither growth nor lung function appear to have been affected by prematurity birth weight, or level of physical activity.

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Effect of zinc supplementation on the morbidity, immune function, and growth of low-birth-weight, full-term infants in northeast Brazil

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.1093/ajcn/68.2.418s ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 68 (2) ◽

pp. 418S-424S ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

P I Lira ◽

A Ashworth ◽

S S Morris

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Immune Function ◽

Zinc Supplementation ◽

Full Term ◽

Northeast Brazil ◽

Term Infants

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Serum zinc in mothers and from cord blood of appropriate birth-weight full term and preterm newborn infants, and of low-birth-weight full term infants

Early Child Development and Care ◽

10.1080/0300443840150104 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 27-33

Author(s):

Cleide Enoir ◽

Petean Trindade† ◽

Maria Eneida ◽

Aiello Sartor† ◽

Fernando Jose de Nobrega ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Cord Blood ◽

Newborn Infants ◽

Serum Zinc ◽

Full Term ◽

Preterm Newborn ◽

Term Infants

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The influence of birth weight and gestational age on kidney function in premature infants

Российский педиатрический журнал ◽

10.46563/1560-9561-2021-24-4-222-230 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 222-230

Author(s):

Bella D. Tsintsadze ◽

Klavdiya A. Kazakova ◽

Vladislav V. Chernikov ◽

Andrey P. Fisenko ◽

Aleksey N. Tsygin

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Serum Creatinine ◽

Premature Infants ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Full Term ◽

Enzymatic Method ◽

Term Infants ◽

Blood Creatinine

Introduction. The impact of prematurity on the functional state of the kidneys in infants has not yet been sufficiently studied. Aim. To determine the influence of birth weight and gestational age on the creatinine level in the blood and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in early childhood. Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted on medical records of 316 children aged from 1 month to 1.5 years, hospitalized at the Department of Early Childhood Pathology (National Medical Research Center for Children’s Health, Moscow) from 2012 to 2020 due to consequences of perinatal CNS damage. Children without congenital kidney diseases, with normal urine values in medical history, without structural abnormalities on ultrasound were included in this study. Serum creatinine was determined by the enzymatic method, GFR - by the Schwartz’s formula using a coefficient of 0.413, as well as, previously proposed coefficients of 0.33 for premature and 0.44 for full-term infants. Results. In premature infants, notably born with extremely low birth weight and very low birth weight, at the age of 1 year, serum creatinine is reduced compared to full-term infants, GFR in deep-premature infants exceeds the level of GFR in full-term infants by the year. The results allow concluding the method of calculating GFR by formulas based on serum creatinine to be invalid. Due to possible hyperfiltration in preterm infants, they need regular monitoring urine tests, blood pressure, due to the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Conclusions. It is necessary to search for other methods for determining GFR in extremely premature infants. The established indices of the blood creatinine content can be used as reference values for different periods of gestation and body weight at birth in institutions using the enzymatic method for determining blood creatinine. The obtained GFR indices as a reference can be recommended for full-term and premature babies born after 32 weeks of gestation and with a birth weight of more than 1500 g.

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Postnatal Persistence of Capillary-Venous Differences in Hematocrit and Hemoglobin Values in Low-Birth-Weight and Term Infants

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.70.6.956 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 70 (6) ◽

pp. 956-957

Author(s):

Luis M. Rivera ◽

Nathan Rudolph

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Full Term ◽

Low Birth Weight Infants ◽

Term Infants ◽

The Third

Full-term and preterm infants were studied to determine whether differences between capillary and venous hematocrit and hemoglobin values were detectable after the first week of life. Significant differences were shown to persist in both term and preterm infants into at least the third postnatal months. However, the differences were considerably greater in low-birth-weight infants, with mean capillary values at ages 4 to 6 postnatal weeks approximately 11% to 12% higher than the corresponding venous values. The data indicated that capillary-venous differences were related not only to postnatal age, but also to postconceptual age.

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