The effect of feeds of differing composition on entero-insular hormone secretion in the first hours of life in human neonates.

Little is known on the enteral stimuli for gastro-intestinal hormone release in newborn infants. We have compared the effect of the first feed of human breast milk (5 ml/kg) or 10% dextrose (5 ml/kg) on blood glucose and plasma gastrin, enteroglucagon, Gastric Inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), pancreatic glucagon, and insulin in 21 full-term infants at 4--6 hours of age. The first feed of human milk caused a rise in blood glucose and plasma insulin, gastrin and enteroglucagon, but no change occurred in GIP or pancreatic glucagon. The 10% dextrose feed did not stimulate enteroglucagon release, although similar changes occurred in blood glucose and plasma insulin and gastrin. We conclude that the composition of the feed influences the pattern of gastro-intestinal hormone release during the first hours of life and that the entero-insular responses to feeding differ in the neonate and the adult.