The effect of early and late feeding and glucagon upon blood sugar and serum bilirubin levels of premature babies

Abstract

A controlled clinical trial was conducted to assess the effect of early and late feeding and of glucagon upon the fasting blood sugar and indirect serum bilirubin levels of normal premature babies during the first five days of life. No statistically significant differences in blood sugar and serum bilirubin levels were found in 44 babies whether they were fed with glucose from 4 to 6 hours of age or fasted for 36 hours or fasted for 36 hours and given glucagon. Early glucose feedings and glucagon given every three hours does not protect the premature infant from fasting hypoglycaemia. The babies who were fasted for 36 hours lost more weight on the second day of life than those who were fed early. One of 15 babies was unable to tolerate glucose feeds given from 4 to 6 hours of age. The other 14 showed no ill effects from early feeding. There appeared to be neither advantages nor disadvantages in feeding premature infants from 4 to 6 hours of age or delaying feedings for 36 hours.