Influence of respiratory distress syndrome on body composition after preterm birth
a Department of
Paediatrics and Neonatal Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medical
School, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road,
London W12 ONN., b Department of Medical Statistics
Correspondence to: Dr Neena Modi.
Accepted 2 February 1997
AIM
To observe changes in body composition during
the first week after birth, in preterm neonates with and without
respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), so as to be able to provide
optimal fluid and energy intake.
METHODSTwenty four babies with RDS and 19 healthy
preterm babies, with gestational ages ranging from 26-36 weeks, were
studied daily for the first week after birth. Total body water (TBW)
was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. The babies were
weighed daily and a record made of fluid and energy intake. Body solids were calculated as the difference between body weight and TBW.
RESULTSThere was a highly significant reduction
in body weight by the end of the week, with the RDS babies losing more
than the healthy babies (RDS 7.6%; non-RDS 3.7%). There was no
significant difference in the amount of TBW at birth in the babies with
and without RDS (RDS 85.1%; non-RDS 85.5%) and both groups lost the
same amount of body water (RDS 10.9%; non-RDS 9.9%) by the end of the
first week. The amount of total body water lost was unrelated to the volume of fluid administered. There was a loss of body solids during
the first day in the RDS group, but, overall, there was a highly
significant increase in both groups between birth and day 7, which was
greater in the healthy babies (RDS 13.0%; non-RDS 42.7%).
CONCLUSIONSLoss of body water after birth occurs
to the same extent in healthy preterm neonates and in babies with RDS
and is unrelated to the volume of fluid administered. Given adequate
nutritional support, an increase in body solids can accompany early
postnatal weight loss and begins almost immediately after birth, in
both healthy preterm babies and babies with RDS.
© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
Modi, N
(2004). Management of fluid balance in the very immature neonate. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed.
89: F108-F111
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
Hartnoll, G., Bétrémieux, P., Modi, N.
(2000). Randomised controlled trial of postnatal sodium supplementation on oxygen dependency and body weight in 25-30 week gestational age infants. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed.
82: 19F-23
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
Hartnoll, G., Bétrémieux, P., Modi, N.
(2000). Randomised controlled trial of postnatal sodium supplementation on body composition in 25 to 30 week gestational age infants. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed.
82: 24F-28
[Abstract] [Full Text]
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
- Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
- Citation Map
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in ADC Online
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Topic Collections
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
