[Longitudinal study of the growth of preterm newborn infants].
BACKGROUND
The growth and nutrition of premature infants should be accurately assessed. To do this, reference values of normality, obtained from population to be studied, are required.


OBJECTIVE
To study the postnatal growth of premature infants in our environment and to compare their growth with intrauterine growth (Lubchenco et al).


METHODS
A total of 103 premature infants born at 28-36 weeks of gestation in the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Children's Hospital in Murcia (Spain) from April 1994 to June 1995 were studied. Children who received medical care during the first 24 hours of life and who had no prenatal condition that could affect their growth were selected. Those who suffered from serious disease were excluded. The study was carried out from birth to a postconceptional age of 48-52 weeks. The 2-step regression model was used to calculate the percentile graphs.


RESULTS
Percentile growth graphs were drawn up for the following variables: weight, length, arm circumference, head circumference, subscapular fold, and tricipital fold. In premature infants, postnatal growth in weight and length was uniform, progressive, and practically linear and did not show the flattening that is characteristic of intrauterine growth. Other corporal segments such as the head and arm circumference showed a certain slowing down at a postconceptional age of 42 or 43 weeks, and the folds showed a moderate dispersion of values as the study progressed.


CONCLUSIONS
Intrauterine growth charts do not accurately assess postnatal growth in premature infants.
Rodríguez García
J
J
Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Infantil Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca. Murcia. España. hrodriguezgarc@medynet.com
Bosch Giménez
V M
VM
Alonso García
M A
MA
Borrajo Guadarrama
E
E
Pérez Flores
D
D
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values