All issues > Volume 44(8); 2001

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2001;44(8):867-874. Published online August 15, 2001.

Usefulness of Serum Prealbumin Concentration as a Marker for Nutritional Adequacy in Premature Infants

Soo Jin SJ Lee¹, Eun Ae EA Park¹, Jeong Wan JW Seo¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Eun Ae EA Park ,Email: pea8639@mm.ewha.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: Serum prealbumin concentration has been proposed as a useful nutritional marker that responds rapidly and sensitively to calory and protein intake. But the reports of prealbumin in premature infants are not sufficient and variable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of serum prealbumin concentration as a marker for nutritional adequacy in premature infants.
Methods
: From March to September, 2000, 42 premature infants in NICU were studied. All infants were appropriate for gestational age and had neither evidence of congenital anomalies nor surgeries. The change of serum prealbumin levels according to postnatal age and the correlation between gestational age, anthropometric measurements, nutritional intake(calory-protein), and serum prealbumin and albumin concentration were evaluated.
Results
: Serum prealbumin concentration was significantly increased with gestatinoal age and birth weight(P<0.05). Serum prealbumin concentration on day 3 of life was lower than that at birth, it rose by day 14 of life and then it became steady. Serum prealbumin concentration was significantly increased with calory intake and protein intake, but more with protein intake than calory intake(P<0.05). Only serum prealbumin concentration was significantly increased with protein intake. Serum albumin concentration and anthropometric measurements were not.
Conclusion
: The serum prealbumin concentration was significantly correlated with gestatinoal age, birth weight, calory intake, and protein intake and could be used as a rapid and sensitive biochemical marker for nutritional adequacy in premature infants.

Keywords :Prealbumin, Premature infants