Splanchnic Oxygenation Response to Enteral Feeds in Preterm Infants With Abnormal Antenatal Doppler.

Antenatal absent or reversed end-diastolic flow (AREDF) velocity through the umbilical arteries places preterm infants at significant risk for developing gastrointestinal complications, such as feeding intolerance, necrotizing enterocolitis or spontaneous intestinal perforation. Due to the fear of the aforementioned conditions, the establishment of adequate enteral feeds is frequently hampered in this population. Previous postnatal Doppler studies have shown that AREDF preterm infants who later developed feeding intolerance have a decreased blood flow velocity in the superior mesenteric artery in response to the first enteral feed; to date, however, it is not known whether this hemodynamic impairment persists over time, or if it is associated with reduced splanchnic oxygenation and perfusion, monitored by Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This observational prospective study aims: * to assess the patterns of abdominal oxygenation and perfusion in response to enteral feeds in AREDF preterm infants at different phases of enteral feeding establishment; * to evaluate a possible correlation with the development of gastrointestinal complications.