Postnatal head growth in very premature infants with good outcome.
Postnatal head growth was examined retrospectively in 118 infants (male 60, female 58) born with a gestational age of from 24 to 29 weeks. Infants fulfilled the following criteria: (1) Those with hydrocephalus and small for dates (less than -1.5 standard deviation) were excluded. (2) Infants had normal intelligence and no cerebral palsy or epilepsy at 3 years of age or above. They were divided into four groups according to gestational ages: 24-26 wks (n = 21), 27 wks (n = 25), 28 wks (n = 41) and 29 wks (n = 31). The head circumference was measured at least twice monthly. The head growth curves in each group were obtained. After a transient decrease, head growth averaged 1.1-1.2 mm/day from day 21-30 to day 61-70 in all groups. From day 61-70 to 91-100 head growth averaged 1.2 mm/day at 24-26 wks and 0.8 mm/day at 27-29 wks, respectively.
Fujimoto
S
S
Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
Ishikawa
T
T
Togari
H
H
Kanayama
M
M
Okajima
K
K
Inukai
K
K
D002508:Cephalometry; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies