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Urinary and Serum Urea as Indicators of Protein Metabolism in Very Low Birthweight Infants Fed Varying Human Milk Protein Intakes
Author(s) -
POLBERGER STAFFAN K. T.,
AXELSSON IRENE E.,
RÄIHÄ NIELS C. R.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1990.tb11548.x
Subject(s) - urine , urea , medicine , urinary system , endocrinology , gestational age , gestation , pregnancy , zoology , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , genetics
. Urea concentrations in serum and urine were measured in 28 growing, very low birth weight, appropriate‐for‐gestational age infants fed varying human milk protein intakes (range 1.7 to 3.9 g/kg/day). We found a high correlation between serum urea values at the end of the study and mean protein intake ( r 3 =0.85, p <0.001) and between urinary urea concentrations in eight‐hour urine collections and protein intake ( r 3 =0.81, p <0.001). All serum and urine urea values were below 1.6 and 18 mmol/l, respectively, at protein intakes less than 3 g/kg/day. Higher protein intakes caused higher serum and urinary urea concentrations. We also found a strong correlation between the individual serum and urinary urea values at the end of the study ( r 3 =0.90, p <0.001). The presented data are consistent with the growth data previously reported and indicate that inadequate or excessive protein intakes can be detected by measurement of urea concentrations in serum and/or urine. If urine urea samples alone can be used for estimating optimal protein intake, painful blood sampling procedures could be obviated.