A CONTROLLED STUDY OF EARLY FLUID ADMINISTRATION ON SURVIVAL OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS

Abstract

A controlled study was done to evaluate the effects of early administration of fluids versus 24 to 72 hours starvation on the survival at 14 days of 90 premature infants with birth weights less than 1,500 gm. Mortality was 30% in the 30 infants who were given intravenous fluids as compared to 50% in those who were given nasogastric fluids or those who were starved. A reduction in mortality was noted in the group of infants between 765 and 1,250 gm who received parenteral fluids early (mean, 6 hours; range, 2 to 15 hours). The early administration of fluids via a nasogastric tube did not influence mortality. Since limitations to those lower-weight groups had not been included in the protocol, a further controlled study is indicated. There was no significant difference in the 72-hour weight loss, the biochemical determinations, the morbidity, or the autopsy findings of the three groups studied.