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Growth and development are similar in VLBW children born appropriate and small for gestational age: an interim report on 97 preschool children

Growth and development are similar in VLBW children born appropriate and small for gestational age: an interim report on 97 preschool children
Growth and development are similar in VLBW children born appropriate and small for gestational age: an interim report on 97 preschool children
Aim: To investigate growth and development in a cohort of children born with very low birth weight (VLBW) treated at a single tertiary neonatal unit.

Methods: We studied 97 children born between January 1995 and July 1997 with BW <1,500 g. At follow-up (mean age 3.7 years) anthropometric data and data on neurological status, motor, speech and language development were collected. Small for gestational age (SGA) was defined as weight and/or length at birth <10th percentile; shortness at follow-up was defined as height <10th percentile.

Results: Comparison was made between the appropriate for gestational age (AGA) (n = 46) and SGA (n = 51) groups. At follow-up, 23 AGA and 35 SGA children were short, had a smaller head circumference (-1.9 vs -0.8 SDS), were lighter at birth (BW -1.3 vs -0.7 SDS), and had a higher rate of broncho-pulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (28 vs 12); no differences in neonatal characteristics or neurological status were evident. A higher frequency of motor delay occurred in the 'short' group. Short children also had a smaller head circumference (HC) (-1.6 vs -0.7). Short SGA children had a higher frequency of BPD, smaller HC (-2.1 vs -1.0), and a slightly higher proportion of suspicious neurological findings, motor delay, and speech and language delay (n.s.).

Conclusions: Preterm VLBW infants, whether AGA or SGA at birth, face the risk of being short at preschool age. Height outcome is probably influenced by postnatal factors. Our data also suggest that short stature is associated with developmental difficulties in this population.
0334-018X
1017-1026
Ranke, Michael B.
2e4d27a3-1c99-47a0-b390-81f2284bdbbd
Vollmer, Brigitte
044f8b55-ba36-4fb2-8e7e-756ab77653ba
Traunecker, Richard
571b43fe-393c-4e92-a7a3-b852f44dfccc
Wollmann, Hartmut A.
553b6f5a-2339-425a-a80d-69e815158b0b
Goelz, Rangmar R.
a10fcf34-87a1-4e67-aeb0-bec81725861b
Seibold-Weiger, Karin
3cbcb374-dc7e-4285-b38b-55a3a6d12c17
Speer, Christian P.
62637271-79f4-489c-8ccc-c3475ea9ca2c
Krägeloh-Mann, Ingeborg
aec979ce-1396-4720-8c09-962bee930fcd
Ranke, Michael B.
2e4d27a3-1c99-47a0-b390-81f2284bdbbd
Vollmer, Brigitte
044f8b55-ba36-4fb2-8e7e-756ab77653ba
Traunecker, Richard
571b43fe-393c-4e92-a7a3-b852f44dfccc
Wollmann, Hartmut A.
553b6f5a-2339-425a-a80d-69e815158b0b
Goelz, Rangmar R.
a10fcf34-87a1-4e67-aeb0-bec81725861b
Seibold-Weiger, Karin
3cbcb374-dc7e-4285-b38b-55a3a6d12c17
Speer, Christian P.
62637271-79f4-489c-8ccc-c3475ea9ca2c
Krägeloh-Mann, Ingeborg
aec979ce-1396-4720-8c09-962bee930fcd

Ranke, Michael B., Vollmer, Brigitte, Traunecker, Richard, Wollmann, Hartmut A., Goelz, Rangmar R., Seibold-Weiger, Karin, Speer, Christian P. and Krägeloh-Mann, Ingeborg (2007) Growth and development are similar in VLBW children born appropriate and small for gestational age: an interim report on 97 preschool children. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, 20 (9), 1017-1026. (doi:10.1515/JPEM.2007.20.9.1017). (PMID:18038710)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Aim: To investigate growth and development in a cohort of children born with very low birth weight (VLBW) treated at a single tertiary neonatal unit.

Methods: We studied 97 children born between January 1995 and July 1997 with BW <1,500 g. At follow-up (mean age 3.7 years) anthropometric data and data on neurological status, motor, speech and language development were collected. Small for gestational age (SGA) was defined as weight and/or length at birth <10th percentile; shortness at follow-up was defined as height <10th percentile.

Results: Comparison was made between the appropriate for gestational age (AGA) (n = 46) and SGA (n = 51) groups. At follow-up, 23 AGA and 35 SGA children were short, had a smaller head circumference (-1.9 vs -0.8 SDS), were lighter at birth (BW -1.3 vs -0.7 SDS), and had a higher rate of broncho-pulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (28 vs 12); no differences in neonatal characteristics or neurological status were evident. A higher frequency of motor delay occurred in the 'short' group. Short children also had a smaller head circumference (HC) (-1.6 vs -0.7). Short SGA children had a higher frequency of BPD, smaller HC (-2.1 vs -1.0), and a slightly higher proportion of suspicious neurological findings, motor delay, and speech and language delay (n.s.).

Conclusions: Preterm VLBW infants, whether AGA or SGA at birth, face the risk of being short at preschool age. Height outcome is probably influenced by postnatal factors. Our data also suggest that short stature is associated with developmental difficulties in this population.

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Published date: September 2007

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 189417
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/189417
ISSN: 0334-018X
PURE UUID: 334543f9-f073-49e4-a80c-3899b5766dd3
ORCID for Brigitte Vollmer: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4088-5336

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Date deposited: 02 Jun 2011 08:22
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:36

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Contributors

Author: Michael B. Ranke
Author: Richard Traunecker
Author: Hartmut A. Wollmann
Author: Rangmar R. Goelz
Author: Karin Seibold-Weiger
Author: Christian P. Speer
Author: Ingeborg Krägeloh-Mann

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