PLASMA SOMATOSTATIN AND CHOLECYSTOKININ LEVELS IN PRETERM INFANTS DURING KANGAROO CARE WITH AND WITHOUT NASOGASTRIC TUBE-FEEDING

Aim of the study: To analyze the influence of kangaroo care (KC) with and without nasogastric tube-feeding (NGTF) on plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) and somatostatin (SS) levels in preterm infants and in their par ents, Patients and methods: Eighteen infants, median (range) gestation al age 28 wks (24-34 wks) and birth weight 1230 g (766-2660 g) receive d KC for greater than or equal to 60 min at a median age of 3 days, In infants, blood samples were taken before KC and at 5, 30 and greater than or equal to 60 minutes of KC and from the parents (n=15) before a nd at greater than or equal to 60 minutes of KC, Eight infants receivi ng KC and 67 infants not receiving KC were fed by nasogastric tube, Bl ood samples were taken before and 30 min after the end of feeding, All blood samples were analyzed by specific SS and CCK radioimmunoassays, Results: In infants, the median plasma cholecystokinin level decreased from 10.3 to 9.0 pmol/l (p<0.05) during KC without feeding, Plasma SS did not change, Plasma CCK levels increased from 10.1 to 22.3 pmol/l (p=0.028) after NGTF during KC and were unchanged after NGTF without K C, Plasma somatostatin levels were unchanged after NGTF in both groups , In parents, plasma somatostatin levels and cholecystokinin levels di d not change during KC, Conclusions: In infants, plasma cholecystokini n, but not somatostatin levels, decreased during KC, Plasma CCK levels increased after NGTF only in combination with KC, Plasma SS levels we re unchanged, In parents, plasma somatostatin and cholecystokinin leve ls were not influenced by KC.