[Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium status and postnatal growth during 0-8 weeks in low birth weight premature infants].

Mineral intake and biochemical parameters of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium metabolism were studied during the first eight postnatal weeks in 12 very low birthweight preterm infants. However, the intake of calcium and phosphorus was less than that generally advised in the relevant literature, only marginally lowered serum mineral concentration and no rise in alkaline phosphatase activity were found. Urinary calcium/creatinine and phosphorus/creatinine ratio did not reflect mineral deficiency either. At the same time, a significant inverse correlation was found between postnatal growth rate and calcium excretion in the study babies, whose postnatal growth rate was much less than the control foetal growth rate. The authors briefly discuss the main aspects of neonatal mineral supply and homeostasis.