Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of feeding intolerance (FI) on the short-term outcome of premature infants. Methods This is a retrospective study involving premature infants who were hospitalized from January to December, 2017 . According to the occurrence of FI, they were divided into the FI group and feeding tolerance group (FT group). The infants were followed up to 6 months of corrected age. Medical records and follow-up data were reviewed to investigate the effect of FI on the short-term outcome of premature infants. Results There were 612 eligible subjects with 182 ( 29 . 7 %) in the FI group and 430 ( 70 . 3 %) in the FT group. A total of 126 follow-up cases with 63 cases in each group were included for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that FI was an independent influencing factor for anemia (OR= 2 . 131 , 95 %CI: 1 . 293 - 3 . 514 , P= 0 . 003 ), electrolyte disorder (OR=1.750, 95%CI: 1 . 105 - 2 . 771 , P= 0 . 017 ) and cholestasis (OR= 2 . 143 , 95 %CI: 1 . 211 - 3 . 795 , P= 0 . 009 ) in premature infants one week after birth. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that FI was an independent influencing factor for the prolongation of hospitalization (β=5 .884 , P< 0 . 001 ), the delay of reaching total enteral nutrition age (β=7.339 , P< 0 . 001 ), the delay of reaching oral feeding age (β=7.339 , P< 0 . 001 ) and the increase of body weight at discharge (β= 100 . 237 , P= 0 . 001 ). There was no significant difference in length, weight, head circumference and Peabody motor development score between the two groups at 6 months of corrected age. Conclusions FI increases the incidence of anemia, electrolyte disorder and cholestasis in premature infants during hospitalization. FI leads to prolonged hospitalization time of premature infants, and it delays the infants to reach the age of total enteral nutrition and the age of oral feeding. Premature infants with FI need to grow to a larger weight to meet the discharge standard. FI had no significant effect on physical growth and motor development of premature infants at 6 months of corrected age.

Key words: feeding intolerance; short-term outcome; follow-up; premature