NONNUTRITIVE SUCKING: EFFECTS ON LINGUAL/GASTRIC LIPASE ACTIVITY AND FAT ABSORPTION IN PRETERM INFANTS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 122
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Nutrition.
Description: Nonnutritive sucking has been demonstrated to improve weight gain and lead to earlier discharge of premature infants. However, the basis of these beneficial effects is not completely understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of nonnutritive sucking on lingual/gastric lipase secretion and absorption. Premature infants receive 50% of their calories from fat. Lingual/gastric lipase has been demonstrated to be one of the primary means of fat digestion in the premature infant.

Subjects were 31 preterm neonatal intensive care infants between 900 and 1,400 grams receiving continuous nasogastric feedings. The study used a cross-over switchback design to control for maturity during a nine-day study period. Treatment groups were: (1) sucking-no sucking-sucking and (2) no sucking-sucking-no sucking for 3 days each. Each infant served as his or her own control, with order of treatment randomly counterbalanced among subjects. Stool and gastric aspirates were collected and pooled for each three-day treatment period. Carmine red markers identified stool produced during each 3 day study period so that carry over effects would not bias the results. Each baby's rectum was covered with a bag for the entire nine-day study period to assure that collection was complete.

Univariate analysis of variance revealed significant treatment effects (p =.003) on stool fatty acid excretion. There were no significant effects on stomach residual lingual/gastric lipase activity.

Nonnutritive sucking did not increase nutrient absorption in this sample. Thus, the weight gain found in this study was not attributed to nonnutritive sucking.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-02, Section: B, page: 0744.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1994.

School code: 0227.