A Simple Method of Calculation in Excel for the Protein Requirements in Preterm New Borns.

Abstract

Introduction: The nutritional balance between the nutritional requirements of the organism and the intake is a very delicate thing to adjust especially when it comes to the premature new-born in whom often the oral feeding is very challenging and the need for parenteral feeding is very pressing. Purpose: The goal of this article is to present a simple method of calculation for the amino acid parenteral intake in preterm infants using the Excel spreadsheet platform as a platform. Material and Method: Using Excel commands, we translate the algorithms for the protein requirements calculation into an electronic format. This will allow the creation of a template that quickly identifies the need for proteins according to the clinical and evolutional features of the premature new-born, significantly reducing the duration of the calculation. Results: This method is easy to perform, simple and efficient. The calculation template has significantly reduced the errors and the actual working time with the algorithms. These effects are very obvious in intensive care units that take care of a large number of premature babies. Conclusions: Computerized calculation allows a decrease in calculation errors and also reduces the time actually allocated for the calculation, especially for the very complicated algorithms. Following this template in Excel, we can create separate modules for the algorithms necessary to calculate the needs for the intake of liquids, calories, lipids, and minerals.