title: Somatic growth in infants receiving prolonged caffeine therapy.
abstract: We have evaluated the longitudinal growth of 28 premature infants who had been treated by prolonged caffeine therapy (mean: 23.8 weeks). Routine follow-up included at least 5 physical examinations with measurement of length, weight and head circumference at the beginning of caffeine therapy, at mid therapy, at the end of the therapy and at 3 and 6 months after therapy. The distribution of the infants on the growth curves according to weight, length and head circumference showed a regular increase in growth parameters. Analysis of variance was highly significant at p less than 0.0001. We conclude that long term caffeine treatment does not adversely influence growth parameters, at least during early infancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Le Guennec
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sitruk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Breault
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine