[Assessment of insular development in small for gestational age infants].
OBJECTIVE
To study the insular development of small for gestational age (SGA) infants.


METHODS
The insular area and circle were measured by cerebral ultrasonography in 92 SGA infants. The results were compared with those from 109 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants.


RESULTS
The insular area and circle were positively correlated with the birth weight and gestational age in SGA infants. The insular area in SGA infants with a gestational age of either >37 weeks (451 +/- 92 mm2 vs 516 +/- 116 mm2; p<0.01) or < or = 34 weeks (248 +/- 78 mm2 vs 314 +/- 80 mm2; p<0.01) was significantly less than that in the AGA infants. The insular circle in SGA infants with a gestational age of >37 weeks was also significantly less than that in the AGA infants (92 +/- 11 mm vs 97 +/- 11 mm; p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The insular development of SGA infants seems to be immature. The insular development may be assessed based on the insular area and circle measured by cerebral ultrasonography.
Chen
Yuan-Nong
YN
Department of Pediatrics, Taiyuan Women' s and Children' s Health Care Hospital, Taiyuan, Shaanxi 030012, China.
Sun
Li-Xia
LX
Zhang
Yan-Qiu
YQ
D001724:Birth Weight; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000196:embryology*; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male