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Fat Malabsorption in PT infants improves when part of milk fat is replaced by MCT ; Whether these MCT are stored or oxidized is not well known. 5 PT (BW:1771± 100g;GA= 34± 1WKS,Age at study=24±4d)orally fed a formula containing 50% of fat as MCT were given a known amount of 13C trioctanoin on the second day of a 3 day nutrient balance. Continuous indirect calorimetry was performed during the 24 hours following 13C MCT ingestion, with continuous sampling of expired CO2 for measurement of 13C/12C ratio. Energy balance, nutrients oxidation and amount of oxidized MCT were then derived.Preliminary results : 1) Nutrient balances are shown in Table (kg/d ; M±SD)2) Elimination curves of 13C in expired CO2 were of similar pattern but of widely different amplitude. Mean MCT oxidation was 21±12% (range 6-43) and represented 31% (range 7-47%) of the total fat oxidation.Conclusions : 13C CO2 elimination shows considerable variations between PT infants.No correlation is observed with energy expenditure and with total fat oxidation.The later was even lower than the total amount of MCT given.

Protein content of HM is low and may be inadequate for feeding low→birth-weight infants ; protein supplementation has been proposed to improve its nutritional adequacy. We studied two groups of PT fed isocaloric amounts of either pooled HM (HMgr.,n=6;GA=30.5±1.5wks; BW=1378±150g) or cow's based protein supplemented (0.8g/100 ml) HM (HMP gr: n=5;GA=29.6±1.3wks; BW=1378± 156g). A 3 day nutrient balance and an Energy expenditure measurement (indirect calorimetry) was performed on each infant at around 33 weeks post conceptional age (HMgr:33±1.4wks HMPgr=33.6±0.7wks) along with successive Antropometric measurements.Results 1)HMPgr has a higher weight gain (16.7±1.7 VS 13.5±1.9;NS) similar length and head circumference gains and lower skinfold increases than the HMgr.2) Energy and protein balances are shown in table (/kg/d; M±SD).* student t-test P < 0.05.Conclusion:HMPgr has higher protein retention and lower energy storage than HMgr;weight gain was slighty higher in HMPgr; therefore weight gain composition is different between the groups with higher lean tissue mass and lower fat storage in the HMPgr;this correlates with skinfold measurements.