Feeding intolerance is frequent among preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Although there are many studies about enteral nutrition strategies and content in preterm infants, no evidence-based standards exist for the optimal milk temperature for preterm infants. Therefore, in this study the investigators aimed to examine the effects of feeding temperature and the possible morbidities.
Feeding intolerance is one of the most frequent problems among preterm infants. These infants are fed with expressed breast milk or preterm formulas of which the temperature is not routinely measured. In this study, the investigators aimed to examine the effects of feeds with warm versus room temperature milk in preterm infants. Infants with a birth weight of ≤1500 g or gestational age of ≤ 34 weeks were included in the study and assigned to two different feeding temperature groups (22-24°C and 32-34°C). Some infants in both groups were exclusive breast milk fed and some received artificial milk. Feeding tolerance of patients in both groups and the consequences were evaluated.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
80
These infants were fed with room temperature (22-24 °C) so that hypothesizing that they will have more feeding tolerance and therefore more co-existing morbidities.
Fifteen NICU mothers volunteered and expressed their milk for rapid measurement of freshly expressed breast milk. The mean (± SD) temperature of freshly expressed breast milk was found to be 33±1.5 °C in these preliminary measurements. Confirming this finding, the investigators decided to feed these infants with milk at 32 - 34 °C to examine the effects of feeding temperature and the possible comorbidities with a hypothesis that warmer feeding at the temperature of freshly expressed breast milk may be better physiologically.
Ege University
Izmir, Turkey (Türkiye)
Gastric residual volume in mililitres after every feeding
Gastric residual volume amount during the study
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
Transition time to total enteral feeding
The time needed for transition time to total enteral feeding
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
Daily weight gain
The daily weight gain of the infant during the study
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
Need for anti reflux treatment
ıf the infant needed antireflux treatment, the treatment options were recorded
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
Body weight at discharge
Body weight at discharge
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
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