RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT CHANGES IN FULL-TERM NEWBORN-INFANTS WITHIN 30 HOURS FROM BIRTH BEFORE START OF MILK FEEDING

Objective: To evaluate substrate utilization in full-term newborn infa nts, fed every 3-4 h with glucose 10% solution, within 30 h from birth . Design: Random. Setting: Full term newborn infants at the Paediatric Division City Major Hospital, Chair of Paediatrics, Verona University . Subjects: Forty-six newborn infants, 24 females and 22 males of 39 /- 2 weeks gestational age. Methods: Oxygen consumption (VO2) and CO2 production (VCO2) were measured. Permitting the computation of the res piratory quotient (RQ), which expresses substrate oxidation, at 6 and 30 h from birth. An indirect calorimeter (Deltratrac TMII-MBM-200-DATE X) was used to measure components of energy-balance. Results: Energy e xpenditure calculated at 6 h was 8.130 (+/-1.5757) kJ/kg/h. At 30 h th e value changed to 8.858 (+/-1.483) kJ/kg/h. Statistical evaluation (t -student) showed a significant (P = 0.000) variation in RQ values (6 h : RQ = 0.94; 30 h: RQ = 0.88). Conclusions: Respiratory quotient sugge sts an increase of energy derived from fat metabolism at 30 h from bir th. Our data confirm that early breast feeding or formula milk feeding could represent a physiological approach to nutritional regimen of th e newborn infant. Sponsorship: University of Verona, Italy.