Yonsei Med J. 1992 Sep;33(3):224-231. English.
Published online Feb 20, 2002.
Copyright © 1992 The Yonsei University College of Medicine
Original Article

Umbilical vs peripheral vein catheterization for parenteral nutrition in sick premature neonates

Gilberto R. Pereira, Baek Keun Lim, Christopher Ing and Helosia F. Medeiros
    • Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelpia, 19104, USA.
    • Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine , Wonju, Kangwon, Korea.

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of using umbilical venous catheters vs. peripheral venous catheters for the delivery of parenteral nutrition was studied in 129 critically ill premature infants who were treated in a neonatal intensive care unit for the first 3 weeks of life. Infants who received parenteral nutrition by umbilical venous catheter had greater parenteral caloric intake, lower physiologic weight loss and greater weight gain during the study as compared to infants who received parenteral nutrition by peripheral vein. While the overall incidence of sepsis was comparable in both groups (19% vs 19.7%), benign and transient episodes of hyperglycemia were seen more commonly in infants receiving parenteral nutrition by umbilical catheters. None of the hyperglycemic infants, however, required insulin therapy. The incidence of other metabolic complication was comparable in both groups. At follow up, no evidence of portal hypertension was detected in any of the infants up to 66 months of age treated with umbilical venous catheters. We conclude that the use of umbilical venous catheter allows for a comparably safe and a more appropriate parenteral nutrition support than peripheral catheters in critically ill premature neonates.

Keywords
umbilical catheterization; parenteral nutrition; neonates; premature infants


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