The effect of early parenteral nutrition on return to birth weight and gain weight velocity of premature infants with low birth weight

Early aggressive parenteral nutrition has shown its benefits in preventing extra-uterine growth restriction. However, in daily practice, clinicians still in doubts to implement it in newborns. This study aims to analyze the effect of early parenteral nutrition on gaining weight pattern. This analytical study uses randomized-unblinded-controlled trial design. The study carried out on 44 preterm infants with gestational age less than 33 6/7 weeks, birth weight between 1000-2500 grams and unable to receive daily nutritional needs through oral and enteral. A control group (n=23) received early parenteral nutrition since day 3 and a treatment group (n=21) received parenteral nutrition since day 1. Return to Birth Weight (RTBW) and Gaining Weight Velocity (GWV) are measured to represent gaining weight pattern. The results of this study, RTBW mean have no significant difference (p> 0.05) in both groups. The treatment group has a higher weight loss on day 1 and day 3 (p<0.001; p0.02) and did not have a weight loss difference on day 7, day 10, and day 14 (all p> 0,05). Both groups has faster GWV on day 1 and 3 but similar on day 14 (18 gram/kg/day and 16 gram/kg/day respectively). Early parenteral nutrition has no significant effect on RTBW and GWV.