PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nicholas D Embleton
TI  - Fifteen-minute consultation: ABCDE approach to nutritional assessment in preterm infants
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320928
DP  - 2022 Oct 01
TA  - Archives of disease in childhood - Education & practice edition
PG  - 314--319
VI  - 107
IP  - 5
4099  - http://ep.bmj.com/content/107/5/314.short
4100  - http://ep.bmj.com/content/107/5/314.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed2022 Oct 01; 107
AB  - The last 20 years has seen dramatic improvements in the survival of preterm infants due to improved antenatal and neonatal care. Closer attention to nutrition means early parenteral nutrition and mother’s own milk are considered as standard of care. Many uncertainties remain however, such as optimal macronutrient intakes for longer term cognitive and metabolic outcomes, and the optimal probiotic regime to reduce the risk of necrotising enterocolitis. Nutrition involves macronutrients and micronutrients, immunonutrients, microbiomic aspects and nutrient delivery. It is also clear that there are behavioural and psychological aspects, and strongly held beliefs for parents and professionals that affect practice. While many healthcare professionals (HCPs) are aware of several key nutritional concepts on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), many HCPs lack a concise, systematic approach. This article provides a brief approach to nutritional assessment for use on the NICU summarised as ABCDE: A—anthropometry, B—biochemistry, C—clinical, D—dietary intakes, E—environment and evaluation.