INADEQUATE INTRAVENOUS-FEEDING IN SICK NEONATES - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

It is a common experience that during intravenous feeding (IVF) in neo nates the administered amounts do not always meet the recommendations. In an attempt to quantify these deficits and to determine the causes we studied the data of 2 comparable groups of neonates admitted to a n eonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In Group 1 (N = 107; gestational a ge 25-42 weeks; birth weight 690-5920 g) the minimum recommended intak e of energy (70 kCal/kg/d) and of aminoacids (2.5g/kg/d) was not met i n 17% and in 71% respectively. The main causes of inadequate intake we re believed to be the nearly exclusive use of peripheral venous access , and the restriction in glucose and/or lipid administration because o f extreme prematurity and/or severe illness. In Group 2 (N = 99; gesta tional age 24-42 weeks; birth weight 670-4300 g), where these causes w ere corrected, 11% and 54% of the patients still received an insuffici ent amount of energy and amino acids respectively. It can be concluded that in the daily practice in a NICU, even in optimal conditions and following the recent recommendations for IVF, a considerable proportio n of preterm neonates do not receive the minimal recommended amount of energy and aminoacids.