Feeding intolerance, inflammation, and neurobehaviors in preterm infants

Purpose Identifying relationships between feeding intolerance (FI), inflammation, and early measures of neurodevelopment may provide the basis for clinically relevant assessments for NICU clinicians and staff. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the relationship of FI to inflammatory markers and/or neurobehaviors in the first week of life. Methods This was a retrospective, matched case-control design with data drawn from 114 infants born at ≤32 weeks gestation. Results Eight infants developed FI prior to full enteral feedings. These infants were more likely to have dysregulated levels of cytokines, specifically IL-6, and lower neurodevelopmental scores compared to infants without FI. Conclusions Results suggest physiologic dysregulation and an immature nervous system may contribute to the phenomenon of FI in preterm infants. Further research to identify the role of the brain–gut–immune axis on FI and other GI complications in this population is warranted.