title: Longitudinal assessment of growth and bone mineral accretion in prematurely born infants treated for chronic lung disease with dexamethasone.
abstract: The objective of this study in premature infants was to assess the relationship between dexamethasone, growth and bone mineral accretion. Nine appropriate size for gestational age premature infants treated for chronic lung disease with tapering doses of dexamethasone (0.5-0.1 mg/kg/day over 37 +/- 7 days) were individually matched to a comparison infant by sex, gestational age, birth-weight, and type of feed. Infant growth and bone mineral accretion were measured at equivalent gestational ages from recruitment until 6 months corrected age. During hospitalization, mean rate of weight, length and head circumference growth and bone mineral accretion in the distal radius were significantly lower in the dexamethasone-treated infants in spite of similar nutrient intakes. Dexamethasone infants had significantly lower plasma phosphorus, and urinary calcium, pyridinoline and N-telopeptide excretion. Dexamethasone affected absolute length, but not weight, throughout the study. No significant differences were observed in body composition or absolute radial and whole body bone mineral content. The results indicate that dexamethasone therapy compromises growth and bone mineral accretion in small premature infants. 'Catch-up' linear growth was not evident at 6 months of age and reflects the importance of early nutrition interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Weiler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paes
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Atkinson
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000652:urine; D001827:Body Height; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D002118:Calcium / Q000652:urine; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003094:Collagen / Q000652:urine; D024042:Collagen Type I; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006257:Head / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010455:Peptides / Q000652:urine; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D024042:Collagen Type I; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D010758:Phosphorus; C015484:pyridinoline; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003094:Collagen; D002118:Calcium