Postnatal growth failure in preterm infants: recovery of growth and body composition after term.
BACKGROUND
Many preterm infants are significantly growth restricted at hospital discharge and are at increased risk for long-term growth failure.


OBJECTIVE
To compare growth and weight gain composition after term between preterm infants who were growth retarded and those who were not.


METHODS
An observational longitudinal study was conducted.


METHODS
35 preterm infants who showed growth retardation at term (group 1) and 26 preterm infants who did not (group 2).


METHODS
Growth and body composition were assessed at term and at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 months of corrected age.


RESULTS
At term, and at 1, 2, and 3 months of corrected age, growth-retarded infants showed significantly lower body weight and fat mass than infants who did not develop growth retardation. The mean energy and protein intakes did not differ significantly between the two groups. Daily increases in body weight and fat mass between term and three months did not differ between the groups. However, during the fourth and fifth months, daily gains of body weight and fat mass were significantly greater in growth-retarded than in non-growth-retarded infants, and as a result, body weight and fat mass were comparable between the two groups at 4 and 5 months of corrected age.


CONCLUSIONS
In terms of growth parameters and body composition, growth-retarded preterm infants recovered from postnatal growth failure within the fourth month of corrected age.
Roggero
Paola
P
Institute of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Fondazione IRCCS "Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena," University of Milan, Italy. roggero@unimi.it
Giannì
Maria Lorella
ML
Amato
Orsola
O
Orsi
Anna
A
Piemontese
Pasqua
P
Cosma
Barbara
B
Morlacchi
Laura
L
Mosca
Fabio
F
D000367:Age Factors; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain