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Research Article: Impact of standardized fortified donor human milk on growth parameters and biomarkers in preterm very low birth weight infants: a single-center propensity score-matched analysis

Date Published: 2026-07-17

Abstract:
This study aimed to evaluate the short-term clinical application effects of standardized fortified donor human milk (SF-DHM) in preterm very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, with a focus on its impact on growth parameters and relevant biomarkers, in order to provide scientific evidence for nutritional intervention strategies in cases of insufficient maternal milk supply. A retrospective single-center study design was adopted. A total of 80 preterm VLBW infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of our hospital from January 2022 to March 2025 were included. Based on propensity score matching (PSM), infants were 1:1 matched according to variables such as sex, gestational age at birth, birth weight, and severity of illness, resulting in 40 infants in the control group and 40 in the observation group. The control group received conventional feeding based on maternal milk supplemented with formula as needed; the observation group received SF-DHM as the main enteral nutritional source after standardized nutritional fortification. The two groups were compared in terms of in-hospital growth parameters (weight gain velocity, head circumference growth velocity, length growth velocity, length of hospital stay, and incidence of extrauterine growth restriction at discharge), nutritional biomarkers [prealbumin (PA), albumin (ALB), total protein (TP)], inflammatory markers [interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?)], immune function markers (CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+), feeding tolerance, and incidence of complications. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups after matching ( P >?0.05). Intervention outcomes showed that the observation group had superior weight gain velocity, head circumference growth velocity, length growth velocity, shorter hospital stay, and lower incidence of growth restriction at discharge compared to the control group ( P <?0.05). After 3 months of intervention, PA, ALB, TP, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ levels increased in both groups, while IL-6, CRP, and TNF-? levels decreased, with greater changes observed in the observation group ( P <?0.05). The observation group also had lower rates of feeding intolerance and complications than the control group ( P <?0.05). SF-DHM offers significant benefits in promoting growth, improving nutritional status, reducing inflammation, and enhancing immune function in preterm VLBW infants with limited nutritional support. As a safe, feasible, and effective enteral nutrition strategy, SF-DHM holds broad clinical application potential in NICU settings and is recommended for prioritized use in the nutritional management of preterm infants.

Introduction:
With advances in neonatal medicine, the survival rate of very low birth weight infants (VLBW, birth weight <1,500?g) has steadily improved in recent years. However, issues such as postnatal growth failure, impaired immune function, and neurodevelopmental disorders remain prevalent ( 1 , 2 ), making them urgent challenges in perinatal medicine and NICU care. Nutritional support is a cornerstone in the management of VLBW infants, providing not only the foundation for growth and development but also essential…

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