Objective: Changes in nutritional strategies over the past decade have been shown to improve postnatal growth in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. We showed 10 years ago that the majority of these ELBW infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) suffer postnatal growth failure. We theorized that recent changes in nutritional support strategies would positively affect growth outcomes in ELBW infants with BPD.
Study design: A retrospective study of 88 ELBW infants with BPD. Nutritional data, postnatal growth and BPD severity were compared across three cohorts: (1) weight gain ≤14 g kg(-1) per day, (2) 14.1 to 16 g kg(-1) per day and (3) ≥16 g kg(-1) per day from return to birth weight through discharge. We also compared these to a historical cohort.
Result: In all, 73% of current subjects grew at or above fetal rates. There was less extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) by weight and head circumference for those ELBW infants with BPD receiving higher amounts of protein. Aggressive early TPN and receipt of caloric-dense milk seemed to be the 'new' nutritional strategies improving growth for current ELBW infants with BPD compared with those 10 years ago.
Conclusion: Despite a diagnosis of BPD, improved nutritional strategies have enhanced postnatal growth in infants at high risk for EUGR.