Premium
Growth and bone mineralization in small‐for‐gestational‐age preterm infants
Author(s) -
Kitazawa Shigetaka,
Itabashi Kazuo,
Umeda You,
Inoue Makoto,
Nishioka Takashi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/ped.12189
Subject(s) - medicine , small for gestational age , mineralization (soil science) , gestational age , pediatrics , obstetrics , pregnancy , genetics , biology , physics , quantum mechanics , nitrogen
Background Preterm infants are at risk for metabolic bone disease and suboptimal growth. This study examined the hypothesis that, apart from prematurity, intrauterine growth status (expressed as gestational age‐specific birthweight standard deviation score) influences bone mineralization and body composition in early infancy. Methods In this retrospective study, the groups consisted of preterm small‐for‐gestational‐age ( SGA ) infants ( n = 18; SGA group) and preterm appropriate‐for‐gestational‐age ( AGA ) infants ( n = 24; AGA group). Postnatal bone mineralization was measured at term‐adjusted age (postmenstrual age, 37–42 weeks). Bone mineral content ( BMC ) and body composition were determined on dual‐energy X ‐ray absorptiometry of the whole body. Results BMC and lean mass were significantly lower in the SGA group than in the AGA group at term‐adjusted age (37–42 weeks postmenstrual age). Stepwise regression analysis identified weight at examination as the most significant factor, accounting for 51% of the variance in BMC . Conclusion Bodyweight at term‐adjusted age, rather than intrauterine growth, may affect postnatal bone mineralization in preterm low‐birthweight infants. Therefore, promoting an increase in body size might increase postnatal bone mineralization in preterm SGA infants.