The Effect of Sodium Supplementation on Sodium Homeostasis in very low Birth Weight Infants Fed on own Mothers' Milk

Ayisi, Robert Kangwana (1990) The Effect of Sodium Supplementation on Sodium Homeostasis in very low Birth Weight Infants Fed on own Mothers' Milk. Masters thesis, University of Nairobi.

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Abstract

Clinical and biochemical effects of supplementing dietary sodium intake were studied. A group of 66 very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants were recruited in the study. Forty one of these were supplemented with 3 mmol/Kg/day of sodium chloride for six weeks, and twenty five were not. Weekly serum sodium and potassium were assayed in both groups, in addition to urinary electrolytes. Their mothers' breast milk 24hrs electrolyte content was also determined. Weekly anthropometric measurements (Head circumference, weight and length) were also carried out. The mean serum sodium and potassium in the supplemented group were 140 mmol/l and 6.2 mmol/1 respectively as opposed to values of 139 mmol/1 (Na+) and 5.7 mmol/1 (K+) in the supplemented ones. There was no significant intergroup difference in the mean electrolyte values p> 0.05. The mean urinary sodium was 15.7 mmol/1 in the supplemented group compared to 7.3 mmol/1 in the unsupplemented group. The difference was statistically significant p< 0.05. The mothers' breast milk had mean sodium of 10.8 mmol/1 and 16.6 mmol/1 of potassium. Hypernatremia was never recorded in any of the study infants. This study reveals no appreciable influence of sodium supplementation on the infants' electrolyte profiles although weight gain was significantly higher in the supplemented infants. Therefore from this study, we conclude that hypernatremia is quite rare in VLBW preterm infants fed on own mothers' milk and hence sodium supplementation may not be essential.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	Geoffrey Obatsa
Date Deposited:	07 Jul 2016 13:29
Last Modified:	07 Jul 2016 13:29
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/716

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