Enriched formula not needed for preterm infants
NEW YORK, Jan 10 (Reuters) Enriched milk formula is no better than standard formula for feeding preterm infants after hospital discharge, according to a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
''Our study challenges the current dogma on the use of special milk formulation for feeding the premature infants after hospital discharge,'' Dr Winston W K Koo from Wayne State University and Hutzel Hospital, Detroit, told Reuters Health.
Koo and co-investigator Elaine M Hockman compared the growth, bone mass, and body composition in 89 preterm infants who were randomly assigned to receive a nutrient-enriched formula or a standard formula for one year after discharge.
The infants fed the standard formula had significantly higher scores for all growth variables than did infants fed the enriched formula, the researchers report. The rates of weight gain and length increase were also significantly higher in the infants fed standard formula.
The results of X-ray imaging studies also indicated that the standard formula group had significantly higher bone mineral content, fat mass and lean mass than did the enriched formula group.
''The earlier clinical trials were inconclusive despite the theoretical benefits of enriched formulation and our study could not demonstrate any benefits from its use either in body weight, length, or different components of tissue growth, namely, the amount of bone, fat and lean tissue,'' Koo commented.
''Our
study
is,
therefore,
akin
to
finding
that
a
drug
may
not
work
quite
as
well
as
intended
when
one
takes
a
closer
look.''
The
findings
raise
''multiple
important
issues''
that
require
further
study,
he
said.
''Hopefully,
our
continuing
studies
of
nutrition
support
in
premature
infants
will
provide
scientifically
sound
recommendations
in
the
not
too
distant
future.''
Meanwhile,
he
concludes:
''Careful
follow-up
of
the
infant,
critical
review
of
scientific
studies,
and
being
skeptical
of
advertisements
would
go
a
long
way
in
providing
good
patient
care.''
REUTERS
AKJ
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