HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO PRETERM INFANTS NEED

The protein accretion rate of the fetus in the period between the 28(t h) and 34(th) week of gestation is in the range of 1.8 and 2.5 g/kg/da y. In order to meet such high requirements, preterm infants of this ag e group need 2.4-3.3 g food protein per kg and day. The feeding practi ce of preterm infants has shown that these requirements are best fulfi lled by human milk enriched with protein hydrolysates. At present, mos t of the commercial protein infant formulas and amino acid solutions d esigned for parenteral nutrition of preterm infants vary broadly in th eir composition; their amino acid pattern is not optimal. Consequently , proteins and amino acids from these preparations have to be administ ered in excess in order to meet the requirements of the limiting amino acids. Due to the immaturity of the metabolic pathways of individual amino acids their plasma levels may rise to critical ranges in parente rally and enterally fed preterm infants. In preterm infants at risk, s uch imbalances may cause persisting functional disorders of the brain and other organs. Further metabolic studies including recordings of th e breakdown rates of individual amino acids are needed for optimizing amino acid patterns in formulations designed for pre term infants.