Increased Needs for Copper in Parenteral Nutrition for Children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit With an Ostomy

Background Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element, with deficiency causing anemia, neutropenia, and other abnormalities. Cu is mainly absorbed in the small intestine. Patients with intestinal failure or jejunostomy have increased Cu losses and require additional Cu supplementation in parenteral nutrition (PN). The American Society for Clinical Nutrition standards for trace element recommendations in PN, including Cu, were created in 1988, and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition currently follows the same recommendations. Methods Patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for surgical intervention resulting in an ostomy (ileal or jejunal) were included in this retrospective study. Patients received PN support with Cu dosed individually, rather than in a multi-trace element package. Cu and ostomy output were analyzed daily. Serum Cu was obtained 2 months postsurgical intervention. Results Out of the 7 patients enrolled, 71% had low serum Cu. Weekly mean Cu intake for all 7 patients ranged from 5.3 to 154.8 mu g/kg/day from enteral and parenteral sources, with individual mean weekly Cu intake ranging from 18.9 to 74.4 mu g/kg/day from surgical intervention to 2 months post-surgery. Patients' weekly ostomy outputs ranged from 0 mL/kg/day to 77.2 mL/kg/day, with individual mean weekly output ranging from 3.7 to 41.6 mL/kg/day. Conclusion Providing 20 mu g/kg/day of Cu in PN to neonates with ostomies is insufficient to prevent Cu deficiency. Further studies are warranted to determine an optimal dosage of parenteral Cu to prevent Cu deficiency.