J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2001 Aug;44(8):867-874.

Usefulness of Serum Prealbumin Concentration as a Marker for Nutritional Adequacy in Premature Infants

• Lee SJ
• Park EA
• Seo JW

Abstract

PURPOSE
Serum prealbumin concentration has been proposed as a useful nutritional marker that responds rapidly and sensitively to calory and protein intake. But the reports of prealbumin in premature infants are not sufficient and variable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of serum prealbumin concentration as a marker for nutritional adequacy in premature infants.
METHODS
From March to September, 2000, 42 premature infants in NICU were studied. All infants were appropriate for gestational age and had neither evidence of congenital anomalies nor surgeries. The change of serum prealbumin levels according to postnatal age and the correlation between gestational age, anthropometric measurements, nutritional intake(calory-protein), and serum prealbumin and albumin concentration were evaluated.
RESULTS
Serum prealbumin concentration was significantly increased with gestatinoal age and birth weight(P<0.05). Serum prealbumin concentration on day 3 of life was lower than that at birth, it rose by day 14 of life and then it became steady. Serum prealbumin concentration was significantly increased with calory intake and protein intake, but more with protein intake than calory intake(P<0.05). Only serum prealbumin concentration was significantly increased with protein intake. Serum albumin concentration and anthropometric measurements were not.
CONCLUSION
The serum prealbumin concentration was significantly correlated with gestatinoal age, birth weight, calory intake, and protein intake and could be used as a rapid and sensitive biochemical marker for nutritional adequacy in premature infants.

Keyword

Prealbumin; Premature infants

MeSH Terms

Biomarkers
Birth Weight
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature*
Parturition
Prealbumin*
Serum Albumin
Prealbumin
Serum Albumin