Targeted Fortification of Pasteurized Donor Human Milk

KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Very Low Birth Weight Infant; Growth Failure; Donor Breast Milk

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: Protein supplementation; Other: Analysis with Miris Human Milk Analyzer

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04640805

2020/2493

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate a modified targeted fortification method of pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) in very low birth weight infants (VLBWs). Pools of PDHM will be analyzed for macronutrient content using the Miris Human Milk Analyzer. The control arm will receive standard of care, which is PDHM without additional protein fortification. The intervention arm will receive PDHM with a fat content of 3.8g/dL or more, with additional protein fortification of 0.67g/dL. Primary outcome will be rate of malnutrition at hospital discharge or 37 weeks, whichever earlier. Secondary outcomes include body composition, feed tolerance, and morbidity outcomes.

Full description

Our hospital milk bank provides pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants without sufficient mother's milk, with the overall aim of lowering the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in this population. However, with the introduction of PDHM in our setting, rates of suboptimal weight gain have increased (60.2% to 65.7%). This is likely due to the fact that PDHM is often lower in energy and protein than preterm mother's own milk. One solution to delivery adequate nutrition in this VLBWs receiving PDHM, is targeted fortification, which involves measurement of the macronutrient content of human milk, and adding extra macronutrients to reach nutrient goals. In this proposed study, we will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial of a modified targeted fortification versus standard care. This study will include preterm VLBW infants (<1500g), without congenital conditions resulting in growth restriction, and receiving >25% of PDHM use in the first week of life. 40 patients in each arm will be recruited over a period of 2 years. The intervention group will receive a modified targeted fortification, consisting of selection of high fat PDHM (3.8g/dL or more) with the addition of protein fortification of 0.67g/dL from week 2 of life until a gestational age of 37 weeks or hospital discharge, whichever earlier. The control group will receive usual regular PDHM with standard fortification using human milk fortifier as per current practice. The primary outcome is the rate of suboptimal growth (drop in weight z-score from birth ≥0.8) at discharge or 37 weeks. Secondary outcomes include body composition, feed tolerance, and morbidity outcomes.

Enrollment: 61 patients

Sex: All

Ages: Under 37 weeks old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Birth weight less than or equal to 1500g
• Born at our study hospital or transferred to study hospital within first week of life
• Achieving at least 40ml/kg/day of enteral feeds by day 7 of life
• Receiving at least 25% of pasteurized donor human milk within first 7 days of life

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosed or suspected inborn errors of metabolism
• Acute or chronic renal impairment
• Congenital disease associated with significant growth impairment (including, but not limited to, Trisomy 21, neonatal encephalopathy and seizures, neonatal tumours, achondroplasia, complex congenital heart disease, anorectal malformations, gastrointestinal disorders)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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61 participants in 2 patient groups

Control group (standard fortification)

No Intervention group

Description:

Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM) will be fortified as per unit protocols, at 1 packet of Human Milk Fortifier (Similac or Pre-Nan) to every 25ml PDHM at a feed volume of 80ml/kg/day

Intervention group (modified targeted fortification)

Experimental group

Description:

Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM) will be analyzed using the Miris Human Milk Analyzer, and PDHM with a fat content of 3.8g/dL or higher will be selected. Additional protein will be added using liquid protein fortifier (Similac) at 1ml to every 25ml PDHM to give an additional 0.67g/dL protein.

Treatment:

Other: Analysis with Miris Human Milk Analyzer

Dietary Supplement: Protein supplementation