Growth and bone mineral status of discharged very low birth weight infants fed different formulas or human milk

The objective of this study was to determine whether the growth and bone mineral status of discharged preterm infants fed human milk differed from those of infants fed one of three different formulas varying in calcium content (545 mg/L, 660 mg/L, or 1290 mg/L). A randomized, blinded study was conducted for 16 weeks after discharge in 16 human milk-fed and 43 formula-fed infants. All formula-fed infants received one of the three study formulas from discharge to 8 weeks afterward, and the standard formula, which contained 545 mg/L calcium, from 8 to 16 weeks. The human milk-fed infants gained weight more slowly than the formula-fed infants. The human milk-fed infants also had lower gains in length and higher serum alkaline phosphatase values than the formula-fed infants. The infants who received the formula containing the highest calcium concentration (1290 mg/L) had greater bone mineral density during the first 8 weeks of the study. We conclude that preterm infants recently discharged from the hospital may benefit from higher calcium intake than is provided by either human milk or standard term formula.