Acta Pædiatrica ISSN 0803-5253

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Suboptimal nutrition in moderately preterm infants Kelly Brown ([email protected])1,2, Mark J. Johnson1,2, Alison A. Leaf1,2 1.NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK 2.Department of Neonatal Medicine, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK

Correspondence Kelly Brown, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Southampton Centre for Biomedical Research, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Mailpoint 113, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, Hants SO16 6YD. Tel: +442380795330 | Fax: +442380794945 | E-mail: [email protected] Received 23 June 2014; revised 27 June 2014; accepted 16 July 2014. DOI:10.1111/apa.12755

It is recognised that very preterm infants are at risk of later morbidity, including neurodevelopmental impairment (1), respiratory complications and poor growth (2). However, there is increasing evidence that infants born at later preterm gestations are also at greater risk of such adverse outcomes (3,4), with amalgamated data from follow-up studies showing continuous improvement in IQ scores and decreasing risk of respiratory disease as gestational age at birth increases (5). Moderately preterm infants (32–-34 weeks’ gestation) are at increased risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), sepsis, hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, jaundice and feeding difficulties (6) and account for a high proportion of neonatal unit admissions. Post-discharge, they are more likely to be rehospitalised with jaundice and feeding difficulties (7). Given that preterm infants are deprived of the rapid intrauterinenutrient accretion and growth that occurs during the third trimester, nutritional factors may influence outcomes, and there is evidence that moderate and late preterm infants experience poor growth in the neonatal period (8). While there are published recommendations for the nutrient requirements of very preterm infants (9), the nutritional requirements of moderate and late preterm infants are less established, although guidance for low birthweight infants

Suboptimal nutrition in moderately preterm infants.

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