OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that feeding and antibiotic exposures affect intestinal barrier maturation in preterm @entity1 , we serially measured @entity1944 ( @entity1944 ) biomarkers in @entity1 <33   weeks gestation (gestational age [GA]) during the first 2 weeks of life. STUDY DESIGN: Eligible @entity1 <33   weeks GA were enrolled within 4 days of birth in a prospective study of @entity1944 biomarkers (NCT01756040). Study @entity1 received the nonmetabolized sugars @entity11884 / @entity20689 enterally on study days 1, 8, and 15 and @entity11884 / @entity20689 were measured in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography. Serum zonulin and fecal alpha-1-anti-trypsin, 2 other @entity1944 markers, were measured by semiquantitative Western blot and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: In a cohort of 43 subjects, the @entity11884 / @entity20689 ratio was increased on day 1 and decreased over 2 weeks, but remained higher in @entity1 born at <= 28   weeks of gestation compared with @entity1944 in @entity1 born at >28   weeks of gestation. Exclusive breastmilk feeding was associated with more rapid maturation in intestinal barrier function. A cluster analysis of 35 subjects who had urine samples from all time points revealed 3 @entity1944 patterns (cluster 1, normal maturation: n   =   20 [57%]); cluster 2, decreased @entity1944 during the first week and subsequent substantial increase: n   =   5 [14%]); and cluster 3, delayed maturation: n   =   10 [29%]). There were trends toward more prolonged antibiotic exposure (P   =   .092) and delayed initiation of feeding >= 4 days (P   =   .064) in @entity1 with abnormal @entity1944 patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal barrier maturation in preterm @entity1 is GA and postnatal age dependent, and is influenced by feeding with a maturational effect of breastmilk feeding and possibly by antibiotic exposures. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01756040.

Intestinal Barrier Maturation in Very Low Birthweight XXXX : Relationship to Feeding and Antibiotic Exposure.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['participants', 'infants'] @entity1944 :: ('MESH:D007410', 'Disease') :: ['IP', 'intestinal permeability'] @entity20689 :: ('MESH:D012210', 'Chemical') :: ['rhamnose'] @entity11884 :: ('MESH:D007792', 'Chemical') :: ['lactulose']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['Infants']
