[Caloric balance in infants with intrauterine dystrophy fed formulas containing unmodified fats]

Abstract

The small-for-Date (S-f-D) infants are treated as high risk infants with regard to some metabolic disorders. Special attention should be paid to disorders of energy metabolism. The S-f-D infants already at birth showed the symptoms and results of intrauterine undernutrition, analogical to protein-calorie malnutrition in infants with postnatal dystrophy. The most important effect of intrauterine undernutrition influencing energy metabolism of S-f-D infants were discussed. Higher calorie requirement and higher calorie losses than in full-size (FS) infants were underlined. It was noted that proper feeding may, to a great extent, lessen the results of deficits in gestational age, as well as to increase the survival ability and assure the best possible physical and mental development. As the knowledge of energy metabolism in infants, particularly in those born with intrauterine undernutrition, is insufficient the studies of calorie balance were undertaken. The investigations were carried out in 26 infants observed longitudinally and crossectionally . All infants were fed ad libitum unmodified fat and protein cow's milk formulas containing glucose instead of saccharose in the first trimester and from second trimester gluten--free flour instead of wheat flour. Other meals were given according to obligatory scheme of infants' nutrition. The results of calorie balance studies were compared with the roper data of FS infants in I trimester and II semester of life, which were described in our previous paper. The results of fat an nitrogen balances were also taken into consideration. It was found, that the calorie intake in S-f-D infants is higher, particularly in first months of life, than in FS infants. It is closely related to the degree of intrauterine dystrophy. In this respect S-f-D infants behave similarly as the infants with postnatal dystrophy, which are capable to catch-up by increased calorie intake in answer to previous undernutrition. The calorie excretion in feces is significantly higher inthe first months of life in S-f-D infants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)