Creamatocrit and the nutrient composition of human milk

We tested the hypothesis that creamatocrit, the length of the cream column separated from milk by centrifugation and expressed as a percentage of the length of the total milk column, is a useful measure of the lipid concentration and the energy content of human milk. Milk samples from 17 mothers of preterm infants were analyzed prospectively, fresh as well as frozen and thawed, for creamatocrit measurement and nutrient composition. Creamatocrit correlated strongly with lipid concentration and energy content of human milk, fresh or frozen and thawed. The energy content can be calculated from the regression equation: Energy (kcal/dl) = 5.99 x creamatocrit(%) + 32.5 for a fresh sample, and energy (kcal/dl) = 6.20 x creamatocrit(%) + 35.1 for a frozen sample. Calculations of energy content from the creamatocrit measurement may be useful for an accurate assessment of energy intake in preterm infants fed human milk.