FASTING GASTRIC FLUID AND FECAL POLYAMINE CONCENTRATIONS IN PREMATURE-INFANTS

Background: The role of milk polyamines in the development of the gast rointestinal tract of human infants is presently unknown. Polyamine co ncentrations are higher in human milk than in infant formulas. The aim of the present study was to gather data on luminal polyamines by meas uring gastric fluid and fecal polyamine concentrations in premature in fants during the postnatal period. We further compared gastric fluid p olyamine concentrations with those reported for milk and looked for po ssible relationships between luminal polyamine concentrations, age, an d growth rate. Methods: High-performance liquid chromatography was use d for the measurement of polyamine concentrations in both fecal and ga stric fluid samples. Results: Ninetieth centiles for gastric polyamine s during the first week were 62, 28, 82, and 14 mu M for putrescine, s permidine, spermine, and cadaverine, respectively. These values are hi gher than those reported for human milk and infant formulas. Polyamine concentrations were unrelated to either age or growth rate. Ninetieth centiles for fecal polyamines during the first week were 7668, 5176, 53, and 75 mu M for cadaverine, putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively. Conclusions: Fasting gastric fluid polyamine concentrati ons in premature infants are higher than those reported for either hum an milk or infant formulas. The high fecal cadaverine and putrescine c oncentrations are probably of bacterial origin.