The gestational age at birth was estimated from the calculated delivery date and based on the last menstrual period or first trimester ultrasound and physical examination of the infant at birth. Infants were discharged if they were gaining at least 1% of their body weight per day per week, sucking all feeds, maintaining their temperature in a cot, and the parents were willing and

comfortable taking the infant home. Unless otherwise indicated, measurements were expressed selleck kinase inhibitor as mean ± SD. Parametric or nonparametric statistical tests were performed for continuous or discrete clinical variables, respectively. Data from different recording periods of the same infant were compared by Friedman’s analysis of variance test. In case of significance, the Wilcoxon matched-pairs test was applied. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was calculated for EGG activity and the time-to-reach full enteral feeding. Unpublished local data of stable SGA preterm infants reaching full feeding at seven to 14 days after birth were used to detect a statistically significant difference in time of 72 hours to reach full enteral feeding. At least 56 infants (28 in each group) were Integrase inhibitor required to achieve a power

of 0.8 and α of 0.05. Analysis of patient characteristics (Table 2) showed no significant differences in birth weight, gestational age, one- and five-minute Apgar scores, gastric residuals per meal, type of diet, and abdominal distention, reflux, and sepsis episodes between the study and control groups. Maternal prenatal steroid treatment was given to 26 of 30 mothers (87%) in each group. Age at feeding initiation (Table 2) and time-to-full enteral feeding were significantly less in the study group than in the control group (98 ± 80-157 vs. 172 ± 123-261 hours, p = 0.004). The time-to-discharge was also significantly earlier in the study group (p = 0.04).

No case of suspected or proven NEC was documented. Two infants of the study group needed blood transfusions, and there was a temporary deviation from the feeding protocol in two others from the study group. None of the infants developed major postnatal Hydroxychloroquine mw adverse effects or needed treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. On day two of feeding, the percentage of normal gastric waves in the study and control groups was not different at pre- and post-prandial measurements, and was around 30% of recorded time. On day seven, there was an increase in normal postprandial waves in both groups, but no difference between the study and the control groups (40.1 ± 14.5% vs. 42.6 ± 17.3% respectively). There was no correlation between EGG normal waves and gastric residuals per meal, reflux episodes, and time-to-full enteral feeding in either groups (Spearman’s rank correlation, r > 0.3 for all).