Catch-Up Growth and Supine Length/Height in Very Low Birth Weight, Small for Gestational Age Preterm Infants

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we investigate the growth characteristics of very low birth weight premature infants of up to two years corrected age, considering the factors affecting growth and catch-up growth time.STUDY DESIGN: The demographic data, clinical features, and comorbidities of 77 preterm infants with birth weights of less than or equal to 1.500 g were examined, the infants’ growth statuses in the 40th gestational week (gw) and at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months the corrected age, including their weight, height and head circumference, were evaluated.RESULTS: The findings revealed that very low birth weight infants should be closely monitored either during their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or for up to 6 months corrected age, paying particular attention to growth data, and the appropriate supportive treatment should be administered. The applied support process is influential on the future somatic growth of preterm infants. It was noted in the study that bronchopulmonary dysplasia, proven sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, steroid treatment for more than three days, patent ductus arteriosus, and ibuprofen treatment seemed to affect somatic growth negatively.CONCLUSION: Small for gestational age newborns were found to catch up with appropriate for gestational age newborns at 2 years corrected age in terms of growth, although the percentage of catch-up growth during follow-up at the 40thgw, and at the 6th, 12th and 18th months was lower than that of appropriate for gestational age newborns.

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Characteristics of Catch-Up Growth in Very Low Birth Weight Infants (<1500 g)

10.5772/intechopen.96933 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Teodoro Durá-Travé ◽

Isabel San Martín-García ◽

Fidel Gallinas-Victoriano ◽

María Malumbres-Chacón ◽

Paula Moreno-González ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Small For Gestational Age ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Control Group ◽

Low Birth Weight Infants ◽

Normal Height ◽

Appropriate For Gestational Age ◽

Catch Up

Features of catch-up growth are not well established in very low birth weight infants (VLBW). The aim of this study is to analyze the catch-up growth in height and some factors associated in a cohort of VLBW (<1500 g) from birth to age 14 years. Retrospective registration of weight and height at birth and ages 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 years in a cohort of 170 VLBW have been recorded Anthropometric variables were compared with those from a control group. Sixty-nine (40.6%) were small for gestational age (SGA subgroup) and 101 (59.4%) were appropriate for gestational age (AGA subgroup). Thirty-seven (21.8%) were extremely low birth weight (ELBW), and 32 (18.8%) extremely preterm (EPT). At age 2, 4 and 10 years, 49.4%, 78.9% and 87.1% VLBW, respectively, did reach normal height. Between 4 and 10 years of age, only 8.2% of VLBW reached normal height. At 10 years of age, 7% of VLBW (1000–1500 g) and 35% of ELBW (<1500 g) showed short stature (p = 0.001). Almost the entire sample of VLBW with normal height at age 2, 4 and 10 have reached an adequate catch-up growth in weight in the previous evaluations. ELBW, SGA and EPT were found to be independent predictors for inadequate catch-up growth in height at 2, 4, and 10 years of age. The growth pattern of children born preterm has particular features: they have a lower rate and/or slowness in the catch-up growth in height with respect to that described in full-term small-for-gestational-age infants. Catch-up in weight appears to be a decisive factor for catch-up in height, and, on this basis, we recommend a rigorous nutritional follow-up in these individuals. If these measures do not help improve catch-up in height, they may be eligible for the establishment of rhGH therapy.

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Is being small for gestational age a risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity? A study with 345 very low birth weight preterm infants

Jornal de Pediatria ◽

10.2223/jped.1870 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 85 (1) ◽

pp. 48-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

João Borges Fortes Filho ◽

Fabiana Borba Valiatti ◽

Gabriela Unchalo Eckert ◽

Marlene Coelho da Costa ◽

Rita C. Silveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽

Small For Gestational Age ◽

Very Low Birth Weight

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Patterns of Infancy Growth and Metabolic Hormonal Profile Are Different in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Infants Born Small for Gestational Age Compared to Those Born Appropriate for Gestational Age

Hormone Research in Paediatrics ◽

10.1159/000487994 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 89 (4) ◽

pp. 233-245 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

María Isabel Hernandez ◽

Katherine Rossel ◽

Veronica Peña ◽

Mirna Garcia ◽

Gabriel Cavada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Small For Gestational Age ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

Early Recovery ◽

Hormonal Profile ◽

Appropriate For Gestational Age

Background/Aims: An increased preterm birth survival rate is associated with long-term neurological and metabolic risks; thus, our aim was to evaluate whether early patterns of infancy anthropometry and metabolic hormonal profile differ in preterm infants born small for gestational age (SGA) or appropriate for gestational age (AGA) from birth to 36 months of corrected age (CA). Methods: We recruited 110 very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants (AGA = 60 and SGA = 50) with a mean birth weight of –2.39 ± 0.77 versus 0.57 ± 0.54 standard deviation scores (SDS) (p < 0.01) and birth length of –2.1 ± 1.05 versus –0.44 ± 0.82 SDS (p < 0.01), respectively. Anthropometry and blood sampling for insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II, IGF-I, and leptin were performed for up to 3 years. Results: All neonates increased their weight, length, and head circumference SDS during the early inpatient period. Up to 90% reached a normal length within this period. The IGF-II, insulin, and glycemia concentrations changed in parallel with weight. In the first year of CA, only SGA infants gained weight and height SDS. The homoeostatic model assessment had a trend toward higher values in SGA infants at 24 and 36 months (p = 0.06 and p = 0.07). Conclusion: Being SGA is the strongest predictor of early recovery of height in VLBW preterm infants. Follow-up will allow us to determine whether the differences in the growth patterns of VLBW preterm infants by birth weight SDS persist.

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Single-course antenatal corticosteroids is related to faster growth in very-low-birth-weight infant

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-020-03510-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jiajia Jing ◽

Yiheng Dai ◽

Yanqi Li ◽

Ping Zhou ◽

Xiaodong Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Postnatal Growth ◽

Weight Increase ◽

Antenatal Corticosteroids ◽

Lung Maturation ◽

Growth Outcomes

Abstract Background Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) treatment is critical to support survival and lung maturation in preterm infants, however, its effect on feeding and growth is unclear. Prior preterm delivery, it remains uncertain whether ACS treatment should be continued if possible (repeated course ACS), until a certain gestational age is reached. We hypothesized that the association of single-course ACS with feeding competence and postnatal growth outcomes might be different from that of repeated course ACS in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants. Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants born at 23–37 weeks’ gestation in South China from 2011 to 2014. Data on growth, nutritional and clinical outcomes were collected. Repeated course ACS was defined in this study as two or more courses ACS (more than single-course). Infants were stratified by gestational age (GA), including GA < 28 weeks, 28 weeks ≤ GA < 32 weeks and 32 weeks ≤ GA < 37 weeks. Multiple linear regression and multilevel model were applied to analyze the association of ACS with feeding and growth outcomes. Results A total of 841 infants were recruited. The results, just in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants born at 28–32 weeks’ gestation, showed both single and repeated course of ACS regimens had shorter intubated ventilation time compared to non-ACS regimen. Single-course ACS promoted the earlier application of amino acid and enteral nutrition, and higher rate of weight increase (15.71; 95%CI 5.54–25.88) than non-ACS after adjusting for potential confounding factors. No associations of repeated course ACS with feeding, mean weight and weight increase rate were observed. Conclusions Single-course ACS was positively related to feeding and growth outcomes in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants born at 28–32 weeks’ gestation. However, the similar phenomenon was not observed in the repeated course of ACS regimen.

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28-Day Survival Rates of 6676 Neonates With Birth Weights of 1250 Grams or Less

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.87.1.7 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 87 (1) ◽

pp. 7-17

Author(s):

Dale L. Phelps ◽

David R. Brown ◽

Betty Tung ◽

George Cassady ◽

Richard E. McClead ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multivariate Analysis ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Small For Gestational Age ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Survival Advantage ◽

Lower Birth Weight ◽

Single Birth

Survival rates specific for birth weight, gestational age, sex, and race are described for 6676 inborn neonates who weighed less than 1251 g at birth and were born during 1986 through 1987. Overall 28-day survival increased with gestational age and birth weight, from 36.5% at 24 weeks' gestation to 89.9% at 29 weeks' gestation, or from 30.0% for neonates of 500 through 599 g birth weight to 91.3% for neonates of 1200 through 1250 g. The expected birth weight-specific survival advantage for female neonates and black neonates diminished when the data were controlled for gestational age, showing that certain previously reported survival advantages are based on lower birth weight for a given gestational age. Multivariate analysis showed that all tested variables were significant predictors for survival, in order of descending significance: gestational age and birth weight, sex, race, single birth, and small-for-gestational-age status. The powerful effect of gestational age on survival highlights the need for an accurate neonatal tool to assess the gestational age of very low birth weight neonates after birth.

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