Assessing the growth of preterm infants using detailed anthropometry
Assessing the growth of preterm infants using detailed anthropometry
Aim: preterm infants display altered body composition compared to term infants, and weight gain is a crude indicator body composition. Childhood mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is a measure of nutritional status. This study investigates MUAC and mid-thigh circumference (MTC) to monitor growth in preterm infants.
Methods: preterm infants (<30-week gestation) were recruited. MUAC, MTC, weight, length and head circumference (HC) were measured at recruitment and weekly intervals until discharge. Descriptive, correlation and regression analyses were used.
Results: ninety-three infants were recruited. Median measurement duration was eight weeks (1–19). Median gestational age was 27 weeks (23–29). Analysis by curve estimation displayed a mean increase of 2.58 mm/week (left MUAC) (p ≤ 0.0001), 2.56 mm/week (right MUAC) (p ≤ 0.0001), 4.16 mm/week (left MTC) (p ≤ 0.0001), 4.20 mm/week (right MTC) (p ≤ 0.0001). Coefficients of determination (R2) were calculated using a growth regression model for MUAC and MTC (0.866–0.917); measures were comparable to growth modelling of weight (0.913), length (0.945) and HC (0.928). High concordance between left and right MUAC and MTC generated a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.999 (MUAC) (p ≤ 0.001) and 0.994 (MTC) (p ≤ 0.001).
Conclusion: data demonstrate the potential utility of MUAC and MTC as additional measures of growth in preterm infants that are reproducible over time. There is potential to gain insights to improve lean-mass accretion in preterm infants.
Anthropometry, Growth, Growth – perinatal, Neonatology, Nutrition
889-896
Ashton, James J.
03369017-99b5-40ae-9a43-14c98516f37d
Johnson, Mark J.
ce07b5dd-b12b-47df-a5df-cd3b9447c9ed
Pond, Jenny
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Crowley, Philippa
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Dimitrov, Borislav D.
366d715f-ffd9-45a1-8415-65de5488472f
Pearson, Freya
1d52a3d9-8d84-481a-8274-81cbdccbc40a
Beattie, R. Mark
9a66af0b-f81c-485c-b01d-519403f0038a
Ashton, James J.
03369017-99b5-40ae-9a43-14c98516f37d
Johnson, Mark J.
ce07b5dd-b12b-47df-a5df-cd3b9447c9ed
Pond, Jenny
c03d78d1-c1ad-4697-8411-df3354b904eb
Crowley, Philippa
0d599abb-8c55-4914-8d97-c702fc12020e
Dimitrov, Borislav D.
366d715f-ffd9-45a1-8415-65de5488472f
Pearson, Freya
1d52a3d9-8d84-481a-8274-81cbdccbc40a
Beattie, R. Mark
9a66af0b-f81c-485c-b01d-519403f0038a
Ashton, James J., Johnson, Mark J., Pond, Jenny, Crowley, Philippa, Dimitrov, Borislav D., Pearson, Freya and Beattie, R. Mark
(2017)
Assessing the growth of preterm infants using detailed anthropometry.
Acta Paediatrica, 106 (6), .
(doi:10.1111/apa.13804).
Abstract
Aim: preterm infants display altered body composition compared to term infants, and weight gain is a crude indicator body composition. Childhood mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is a measure of nutritional status. This study investigates MUAC and mid-thigh circumference (MTC) to monitor growth in preterm infants.
Methods: preterm infants (<30-week gestation) were recruited. MUAC, MTC, weight, length and head circumference (HC) were measured at recruitment and weekly intervals until discharge. Descriptive, correlation and regression analyses were used.
Results: ninety-three infants were recruited. Median measurement duration was eight weeks (1–19). Median gestational age was 27 weeks (23–29). Analysis by curve estimation displayed a mean increase of 2.58 mm/week (left MUAC) (p ≤ 0.0001), 2.56 mm/week (right MUAC) (p ≤ 0.0001), 4.16 mm/week (left MTC) (p ≤ 0.0001), 4.20 mm/week (right MTC) (p ≤ 0.0001). Coefficients of determination (R2) were calculated using a growth regression model for MUAC and MTC (0.866–0.917); measures were comparable to growth modelling of weight (0.913), length (0.945) and HC (0.928). High concordance between left and right MUAC and MTC generated a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.999 (MUAC) (p ≤ 0.001) and 0.994 (MTC) (p ≤ 0.001).
Conclusion: data demonstrate the potential utility of MUAC and MTC as additional measures of growth in preterm infants that are reproducible over time. There is potential to gain insights to improve lean-mass accretion in preterm infants.
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Accepted/In Press date: 22 February 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 10 May 2017
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This work is independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre Funding Scheme at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health. JJA is supported by the University of Southampton National Institute of Health Research Academic Clinical Fellowship. The authors would like to thank Linda Baron and Karen McGill for assistance with anthropometric training.
Keywords:
Anthropometry, Growth, Growth – perinatal, Neonatology, Nutrition
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Local EPrints ID: 478351
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/478351
ISSN: 0803-5253
PURE UUID: bf558728-93f0-43ee-a95c-ba726dd4269b
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Date deposited: 28 Jun 2023 17:01
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:47
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Author:
Mark J. Johnson
Author:
Jenny Pond
Author:
Philippa Crowley
Author:
Borislav D. Dimitrov
Author:
Freya Pearson
Author:
R. Mark Beattie
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