Supplementary Material for: Early Nutrition and Growth until the Corrected Age of 2 Years in Extremely Preterm Infants

Background: Extremely preterm birth is associated with a
high risk of extrauterine growth retardation, which has been linked
with adverse developmental outcomes. Objective: We
investigated whether nutritional management during the first 7 days of
life affects growth patterns until the corrected age of 2 years in
extremely preterm infants. Study Design: A retrospective
study of 78 extremely preterm (<28 weeks' gestation) neonates was
conducted. Data regarding parenteral and enteral intake of energy,
protein, lipids, and carbohydrates during the first 7 days of life were
collected from patient records. The outcome measures included weight,
height, and head circumference with Z scores at term-equivalent
age and the corrected ages of 1 and 2 years. Analyses were performed
with hierarchical-linear mixed models. Results:
Nutritional intake during the first week of life did not reach the
current recommendations. The total energy intake during the first 7 days
of life was statistically significantly associated with weight, length,
and head circumference until the corrected age of 2 years after
adjusting for potential confounding factors. Individual macronutrient
intake displayed no association with growth patterns. Conclusions:
Energy intake during the first 7 days of life is associated with growth
until the corrected age of 2 years. These results provide support for
the aggressive early nutritional management of extremely preterm
infants.