Intestinal blood-flow velocity in uncomplicated preterm infants during the early neonatal period

Abstract

Background: Intestinal blood-flow changes after birth. Objective. To elucidate the factors influencing intestinal blood-flow velocity in preterm infants during the early neonatal period.

Materials and methods: We measured blood-flow velocity in the superior mesenteric artery by pulsed Doppler US in 44 uncomplicated infants with a gestational age of less than 34 weeks and from 1 to 6 days of age.

Results: Time-averaged mean blood-flow velocity significantly increased with age from 1 to 6 days old. There was a significant correlation of time-averaged mean blood-flow velocity with birth weight at 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 days of age and with the amount of enteral feeding from 4 to 6 days of age. Multivariate analysis showed that partial correlation of time-averaged mean blood-flow velocity with birth weight at 2 days of age and that with the amount of enteral feeding at 5 days of age were significant. End-diastolic blood-flow velocity was significantly lower at 1 day of age in infants with patent ductus arteriosus than those without it.

Conclusions: Age, birth weight, the amount of enteral feeding and patent ductus arteriosus are included in the determinants of intestinal blood-flow velocity in preterm infants.