[Longitudinal study of the physical catch-up growth in 84 preterm appropriate for gestational age infants].
OBJECTIVE
To study the growth rhythm of preterm appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants by investigating their physical catch-up growth characteristics.


METHODS
Eighty-four preterm AGA newborns (44 males and 40 females) with gestational ages between 28-36 weeks were enrolled. The weight, length and head circumference were evaluated by Z score according to the criterions of actual and corrected ages.


RESULTS
The preterm infants had the catch-up growth in weight, length and head circumference in the first year of life. The growth velocity within the first three months was the highest. The velocity in the weight catch-up was higher than that in the length.


CONCLUSIONS
The fastest growing period is the early three month of life in preterm AGA infants. The catch-up growth in weight and length is unbalanced.
Department of Child Health, Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China. kt99cn@yahoo.com.cn
Mei-Ling
ML
Tong
Min
M
Zhang
Xia
X
Chi
Qin
Q
Hong
Ning-Nan
NN
Jiang
Ting-Xiu
TX
Zhang
Shu-Juan
SJ
Dou
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006257:Head / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male