Bone status in preterm infant: influences of different nutritional regimens and possible markers of bone disease

The objective of this study was to evaluate possible influences of parenteral nutrition on growth and bone development in preterms and to search for markers of bone status.Metacarpus bone transmission time (mc-BTT) was performed at birth, 21 days and 36 weeks of gestational age (GA) in preterms, receiving two different nutritional regimens, together with biochemical analysis.A total of 234 patients were studied. Newborns with aggressive nutrition had significantly better growth rate and higher values of mc-BTT until discharge. Mc-BTT at day 21 correlates positively with nutritional intakes and phosphatemia; lower limb length positively correlated with mc-BTT (P0.01). Newborns with low energy intake in the first week of life (70 kcal kg(-1) per day) and low serum phosphate level (1.4 mmol l(-1)) at 21 days had lower mc-BTT at 36 weeks of GA (P0.01).Aggressive parenteral intakes in preterms improve growth and bone status in the short-medium term, suggesting that early nutrition could influence bone development.