Small for gestational age children without early catch-up growth: spontaneous growth and prediction of height at 8 years.
OBJECTIVE
About 10-15% of children born small for gestational age (SGA) have at the age of 2 years a height standard deviation score (HSDS(2y)) still below -2. There is no model to predict which children will catch up in height after 2 years of age. The aim of this study was to determine the percentage of children with catch-up growth to a normal height after the age of 2 years and to develop a prediction model for growth after that age.


METHODS
In a cohort of 724 SGA children, the percentage of children with HSDS above -2 at 8 years of age was determined. In data of 97 children with HSDS(2y) below -2, a prediction model was developed for growth between 2 and 8 years.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine percent of children with HSDS(2y) below -2 reached an HSDSabove -2 between 2 and 8 years (6% of the total group). Determinants of growth after age 2 years, all with a positive influence, were the difference between target height SDS and HSDS(2y), change in height SDS during first 2 years of life, female gender and multiple birth.


CONCLUSIONS
Catch-up growth to a normal height occurred in 91% of SGA children, in 6% between 2 and 8 years of age. The difference between target height SDS and HSDS(2y) was the most important determinant. The presented prediction model can identify children with low or high probability of catch-up growth after the age of 2 years. This may assist to determine which children require medical follow-up.
de Ridder
Maria A J
MA
Dutch Growth Foundation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.deridder@erasmusmc.nl
Engels
Melanie A M J
MA
Stijnen
Theo
T
Hokken-Koelega
Anita C S
AC
D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests