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Being born large for gestational age is associated with earlier pubertal take‐off and longer growth duration: a longitudinal study
Author(s) -
Di Giovanni Ilaria,
Marcovecchio M. Loredana,
Chiavaroli Valentina,
Giorgis Tommaso,
Chiarelli Francesco,
Mohn Angelika
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.13633
Subject(s) - medicine , growth spurt , gestational age , growth velocity , appropriate for gestational age , pediatrics , small for gestational age , longitudinal study , demography , pregnancy , genetics , pathology , sociology , biology
Aim Perinatal factors seem to influence the onset of puberty, but there is limited information on the potential effect of large size at birth on pubertal growth. This study evaluated pubertal growth in children born large for gestational age ( LGA ) compared to children born appropriate for gestational age ( AGA ). Methods Longitudinal growth data collected from 70 children – 40 AGA and 30 LGA – were analysed. The ages at take‐off, peak height velocity, final height and pubertal growth spurts were calculated using the Preece–Baines model I. Results Large for gestational age children showed an earlier age at take‐off compared to AGA children (10.1 ± 1.2 versus 11.0 ± 1.4 years, p = 0.007), whereas the age at peak height velocity and at final height was similar. LGA children showed a longer growth spurt duration (2.5 ± 1 versus 1.5 ± 1.2 years, p < 0.001) and total pubertal duration (5.3 ± 1.2 versus 4.6 ± 1.2 years, p = 0.036) than AGA children. Results were similar when stratified by sex. Conclusion Being born LGA was associated with an earlier pubertal take‐off and longer growth duration. These unique findings, due to the lack of studies on pubertal growth patterns in LGA children, might lead the way to novel research and a different approach to LGA children at the onset of pubertal growth.