Is term newborn body composition being achieved postnatally in preterm infants?
BACKGROUND
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that preterm infants' growth duplicates fetal growth rates and that body composition replicates in utero body composition.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the total body fat mass between preterm infants assessed at term corrected age and full-term newborns, and to investigate the effects of gestational age, gender, weight increase, being breast fed on total adiposity.


METHODS
Prospective observational study.


METHODS
One hundred and ten preterm infants [mean (SD) gestational age: 29.9 (2.3) weeks; birth weight: 1118 (274) g], and 87 full term [mean (SD) 38.6 (1.21) weeks, 3203 (385) g], breastfed infants.


METHODS
Growth and body composition by means of a pediatric air displacement system were assessed at term corrected age in preterm infants and on day 3 of life in full term infants.


RESULTS
Weight, length and head circumference were smaller in the preterm group as compared to the term group. Mean (SD) percentage of fat mass in preterm infants was significantly higher as compared to term infants [14.8 (4.4) vs 8.59 (3.71), P<0.0001]. Fat mass was negatively correlated with gestational age (P<0.001), and positively associated with weight increase (P< 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that body composition, in terms of fat mass, in preterm infants at term corrected age is different from that of full term newborns.
Roggero
Paola
P
Institute of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, University of Milan, Italy. paola.roggero@mangiagalli.it
Giannì
Maria Lorella
ML
Amato
Orsola
O
Orsi
Anna
A
Piemontese
Pasqua
P
Morlacchi
Laura
L
Mosca
Fabio
F
D001724:Birth Weight; D001823:Body Composition; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011446:Prospective Studies