Feeding of very-low-birth-weight infants with special formula--continued use beyond 2000 g and effects on growth to 1 year

Abstract

Ten very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants fed a premature formula up to a weight of 2 000 g were randomized either to continue on the premature formula for a further 8 weeks or to change to a standard infant formula. Four infants in each group completed the 8-week study period, while growth and biochemical data were available on the other 2 infants for half the study period. No significant differences were seen at the end of the study. Infants on the premature formula showed a trend towards more rapid growth during the 8-week period, but this was no longer evident at a corrected age of 3 months. All infants were followed up to a corrected age of 1 year, during which time growth curves were similar to those previously described for VLBW infants. No long-term tendency towards obesity was evident in these infants, who had gained weight up to 2 000 g at a rate equivalent to the intra-uterine rate.