OBJECTIVESome neonates especially premature infants, low birth weight infants and extremely low birth weight infants have limited endogenous energy stores. It is necessary to establish continuous administration of postnatal nutrition. The use of parenteral nutrition (PN) in neonates with immaturity of digestive system and intentionally delayed feedings has gained widespread acceptance. PN has been shown to provide sufficient nutrients to maintain growth in newborn infants. The major complication of PN in neonates is PN-associated cholestasis (PNAC). It remains a significant and frequent clinical problem for neonatal practitioners. In some cases, progressive liver damage, liver failure and death may become inevitable. In order to analyze the risk factors of the PNAC in neonates and to provide the evidence of safety and efficiency in clinical nutrition support, the clinical data of 612 neonates who had received PN for more than 5 days during the past 20 years were reviewed.

METHODSRetrospective analysis on data collected from April 1985 to March 2005 was performed. The records of 612 neonates were divided into two groups according to the established Nutrition Support Team (NST) in our hospital. Each group included two sub-groups. Seventy neonates of the first group were divided into PNAC group (n = 6) and non-PNAC group (n = 64); these patients were seen between 1st April 1985 and 31st March 1995. The remaining 542 neonates of the second group who were also divided into 2 groups, i.e. PNAC group (n = 12) and non-PNAC group (n = 530) who were seen from 1st April 1995 through 31st March 2005. The incidence of PNAC between the first group and the second group was compared and the associated factors were analyzed. The PNAC was defined when serum level of direct-bilirubin exceeded 1.5 mg/dl or direct-bilirubin greater than 50% of the bilirubin and excluding cholestasis resulted from other diseases.

RESULTSThe total incidence of PNAC in neonates who had received TPN for more than 5 days was 2.94%. The incidence of PNAC of the first and the second decade was 8.57% and 2.21%, respectively (OR = 0.242, 95% CI = 0.088 approximately 0.666). The average gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW) of PNAC group were less than those of the non-PNAC group (GA: (33 +/- 5) w vs. (36 +/- 4) w, P = 0.009; OR = 0.827, 95% CI = 0.698 approximately 0.980. BW: (2003 +/- 743) g vs. (2393 +/- 764) g, P = 0.045; OR = 1.001, 95% CI = 0.999 approximately 1.002). The PN duration and calorie intake of PNAC group was longer than that of the non-PNAC group (PN duration: 32 +/- 30 d vs. (13 +/- 10) d, P = 0.000; OR = 1.072, 95% CI = 1.032 approximately 1.112. Calorie intake: [(272 +/- 46) kJ/(kg.d)] [(65.0 +/- 10.9) kcal/(kg.d)] (1 kcal = 4.184 kJ) vs. [(232 +/- 55) kJ/(kg.d) (55.5 +/- 13.1) kcal/(kg.d)], (P = 0.002; OR = 1.066, 95% CI = 1.012 approximately 1.122), but the weight gain in the non-PNAC group had a tendency to increase as compared to that of the PNAC group [(20 +/- 27) g/d vs. (9 +/- 19) g/d, P = 0.175].

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of PNAC was associated with the longer duration of PN, the smaller age at initiation of PN, the higher calorie intake, prematurity and lower birth weight. Establishment of the nutrition support team can normalize the practice of the PN administration and decrease the incidence of the complication with nutrition support. It is a favorable mode and it can provide a safer, more effective and reasonable means in clinical nutrition support. To avoid PNAC, it is suggested that the administration of enteric feeding should start as soon as possible, which may enhance effective contraction of gallbladder and secretion of gastrointestinal hormones, and it is best to avoid high calorie of PN and control the calorie intake under 251.04 approximately 334.72 kJ/(kg.d) [60 approximately 80 kcal/(kg.d)].