Extensive and partial protein hydrolysate preterm formulas.

Protein hydrolysate formulas for preterm infants recently have been developed. However, the indications for the use of such formulas are unclear. The aim of this article is to systematically evaluate the effect of protein hydrolysate formulas in the feeding of preterm infants through searching the MEDLINE (1966-August 2006) and Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2006) databases. There is little evidence to support the use of extensive and partial protein hydrolysate formulas for preterm infants. High quality, long-term trials are required before these formulas should be offered routinely in preference to other types of formula for preterm infants.