Feeding, medical factors, and developmental outcome in premature infants

This is a prospective, longitudinal study of premature infants investigatin g whether the length of time needed to reach full enteral feedings (F-EF) o r full nipple feedings (F-NF) is related to medical complications and/or de velopmental outcome at 24 months corrected age. Premature infants (n=161) f rom three institutions with birth weights less than 1,600 grams were follow ed up from birth to 24 months corrected age. The infants were stratified in to groups by the severity of medical complications. Bayley Scales of Infant Development were performed at 24 months corrected age. Multiple linear reg ression was used to analyze the association between feeding milestones, med ical complications, and developmental outcomes. Our results show that when controlling for birth weight and gestational age (GA), the severity of resp iratory complications was significantly related to reaching F-EF (p=0.024) and F-NF (p=0.0014). Furthermore, when controlling for the severity of resp iratory complications, GA, and socioeconomic status, an increased length of time to F-EF was significantly associated with a poorer mental outcome (p= 0.0013), We conclude that there is an association between the length of tim e to reach F-EF and mental developmental outcome at 24 months corrected age . Infants who reach full enteral feedings at an earlier age appear to have a better developmental outcome despite their GA and severity of respiratory complications.