All issues > Volume 48(7); 2005

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2005;48(7):711-715. Published online July 15, 2005.

The Effects of Early Enteral Feeding in Extremely Low Birth-Weight Infants

Ga Won GW Jeon¹, Sung Eun SE Park¹, Chang Won CW Choi¹, Jong Hee JH Hwang¹, Yun Sil YS Chang¹, Won Soon WS Park¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Won Soon WS Park ,Email: wspark@smc.samsung.co.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: With the recent improved survival of extremely low birth weight infants(ELBWI), enteral feeding has become a major issue. This study investigates the effects of early enteral feeding in ELBWI on their morbidity, duration of hospitalization, and mortality.
Methods
: ELBWI admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Samsung Medical Center from November 1994 to April 2004 who survived more than 14 days were enrolled. ELBWI were divided into two groups : an early feeding group(EF), in which enteral feeding was started within 3 days after birth; and a late feeding group(LF), in which enteral feeding was started beyond 3 days after birth. 80 ELBWI came under EF, and 131 ELBWI under LF.
Results
: Birth weight and gestational age did not differ between the two groups. In EF, the time to achieve full enteral feeding and the duration of parenteral nutrition were significantly shorter than in LF. The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was significantly lower in EF, but the incidences of sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and cholestasis were not different between the two groups. There was no difference in the survival rate between the two groups, but the duration of hospitalization was significantly shorter in EF.
Conclusion
: Early enteral feeding in ELBWI did not increase the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis, but rather decreased the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and shortened the duration of hospitalization.

Keywords :Early enteral feeding , Extremely low birth weight infant , Trophic feeding