Enteral feeding in very-low-birth-weight infants. A comparison of two nasogastric methods
S. S. Toce, W. J. Keenan and S. M. Homan
Nutritional benefits and feeding-related complications were prospectively
compared in 53 preterm very-low-birth-weight infants receiving isoenergetic
feeding by either the continuous nasogastric (n = 30) or intermittent
nasogastric (n = 23) route. Stepwise regression techniques were used to
develop models relating feeding-associated factors. Feeding method
significantly affected weight gain in infants 1000 to 1249 g birth weight
with continuous nasogastric feeding associated with an additional weight
gain of 3.6 to 6.1 g/kg/d. No effects of feeding method on changes in
occipitofrontal circumference, triceps skin-fold thickness, bilirubin
values, or total protein values were demonstrable. There were few major
differences between feeding groups on measures of feeding complications.
Continuous nasogastric feeding was fairly well tolerated and resulted in
improved weight gain when compared with intermittent nasogastric feeding in
preterm infants 1000 to 1249 g birth weight.
