Performance on Paladai Feeding of Preterm Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

To evaluate the feeding performance of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) on paladai. This cross-sectional study was performed in a level III neonatal unit in North India from March through August 2012. Nineteen infants (27-32 wk of gestation) were enrolled; 9 in BPD group (oxygen requirement for at least 28 d) and 10 in 'No BPD' group. Paladai feeding (PF) sessions were video recorded for 3 d serially, at first successful (FSF) at postnatal age of ≥28 d and follow up feeding (FUF) at 40 ± 2 wk. Successful feeding was defined as ≥80% intake of volume prescribed. One hundred and four videos were analysed (58 in BPD group and 46 in 'No BPD' group). The outcome variables were: (1) postmenstrual age (PMA) at FSF (2) feeding performance, as assessed by proficiency (mL/min, volume of feed intake during only active feeding), efficiency (mL/min, volume of feed intake during total duration of feeding) and overall feed transfer (OT, % of prescribed feed volume taken), and (3) change in heart rate (∆HR) and oxygen saturation (∆SpO PMA (Weeks, 34.2 ± 2.0 vs. 33.6 ± 1.2, p = 0.13), performance on FSF [Median (range), Proficiency: ml/min, 4.2 (1.1, 21.7) vs. 3.4 (1.1, 12.4), efficiency: ml/min, 2.7 (0.4, 6.2) vs. 2.5 (0.9, 10.9)] and OT (%, mean ± SD: 84.9 ± 22.5 vs. 89.1 ± 9.6), and on FUF were comparable between the groups. Changes in SpO Infants with BPD perform comparably well on PF. PF can safely be attempted in them to facilitate transition to oral feeding.