The Basal Metabolic Rate of Premature Infants

Abstract

Ambient temperature ranging from 35-36.5[degree]C should be regarded as the thermoneutral zone of premature infants with a birth weight below 2000 g. Under these conditions minimal O2- consumption is lower than most of the recent data in the literature. Age and immaturity appreciable affect minimal O2-consumption. Within the first ten days of life basal metabolic rate of prematures weighing less than 1500 g is significantly lower than that of infants with a birth weight between 1500 and 2000 g. In both groups O2-consumption expressed in terms of body weight unit increases gradually during the first month of life. Hypothermia not exceeding 33[degree]C does not affect minimal O2- consumption. It is concluded that regulation of energy metabolism and of body temperature mature parallelly but independently.