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Table 3 Meta-analysis results of preterm and term breast milk energy content over time from measured and calculated estimates

From: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the nutrient content of preterm and term breast milk

Comparison: Bomb calorimetry energy measurement (kcal/dL)♦

 

Preterm

  

Term

  

Preterm & term compared

Time frame:

mean

SD

n

Mean

SD

n

% difference

p-value

d 1-3

49

7

12

54

8

19

−10

0.34

d 4-7

71

9

52

66

9

37

7

0.02

week 2

71

12

53

66

9

34

7

0.04

week 3-4

77

8

27

66

8

97

16

< 0.00001*

week 5-6

70

5

14

63

7

40

11

< 0.00001*

week 7-9

76

8

11

63

7

77

21

< 0.00001*

week 10-12

-

-

-

63

8

83

-

-

Energy meta-analysis was limited to 24 hour collections

♦ References: [11, 12, 18, 119–126]

Comparison: Calculated energy content (kcal/dL)♦♦

 

Preterm

  

Term

  

Preterm & term compared

Time frame:

mean

SD

n

Mean

SD

n

% difference

p-value

d 1-3

-

-

-

-

-

-

  

d 4-7

65

13

41

68

9.6

48

−5

0.21

week 2

70

14

95

-

-

-

  

week 3-4

68

8.0

135

70

9.3

46

−2

0.26

week 5-6

67

6.9

79

-

-

-

  

week 7-9

66

8.9

63

69

9.9

43

−4

0.16

week 10-12

66

14

14

68

9.0

95

−3

0.50

♦♦ References: [6, 19, 22, 121, 127]

Comparison: Measured vs. calculated energy

 

Preterm

 

Term

     
 

Difference

% difference

p-value

Difference

% difference

p-value

  

d 1-3

 

-

-

 

-

-

  

d 4-7

6

−9%

0.009

−2

2%

0.350

  

week 2

1

−2%

0.66

     

week 3-4

9

−11%

< 0.00001*

−3

5%

0.007

  

week 5-6

3

−5%

0.11

     

week 7-9

10

−13%

0.0009*

−6

9%

0.0003*

  

week 10-12

   

−5

9%

0.0002*

  
  1. *Statistically significant difference. In compensation for multiple comparisons, an approximate Bonferroni adjustment was made and the p-value for statistical significance was < 0.001.