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[Gastrointestinal hormones during minimal enteral feeding of sick premature infants].

OBJECTIVE
To measure gastrointestinal hormonal response (GHR) with minimal enteral feeding (MEF) in sick premature infants.


METHODS
Forty-one babies birth weight < 1800 g receiving total parenteral nutrition or intravenous solutions entered the study. They were distributed in two groups: group I: 26 infants (early enteral feeding < or = 5 d) and group II = 15 infants (late enteral feeding = 10-14 d). A diluted special formula was used as MEF starting with 1 mL hourly with daily increments of 1 mL up to 120 mL. Basal and final determinations of GHR were done before and after the MEF.


RESULTS
Both groups were similar in birth weight, postnatal age, and trophism. There were intragroup differences between basal and final GHR for all hormones in both groups. Subgroups by gestational age (< or = 32 vs > 32 weeks) and trophism (< or = 1250 vs > 1250 g) also showed basal-final differences. There were no complications related to the MEF.


CONCLUSIONS
MEF favors secretion of gastrointestinal hormones in sick premature infants. Early MEF seems to be preferable to late one since it allows a faster secretion related to volume of the formula. MEF did not increase abdominal complications in our infants.