[The metabolic characteristics of low-birth-weight infants].

The authors studied the protein and fat metabolism in 2-6-weeks-old premature (100 cases) and "small for date" babies (20 cases), all being artificially fed with isocaloric diets. Weight curves were related to dietary intake of proteins in small for date babies. The premature born infants showed no similar relationship between dietary intake of proteins and weight charts. BUN had superior values in premature babies; it means probably that the kidneys of the small for date infants responded better to a protein charge. The values of both serum total fats and of the cholesterol were related to the dietary intake of fats. In conclusion, the milk formula have to be adapted to metabolic peculiarities of these categories of infants.