title: Increased enamel hypoplasia and very low birthweight infants.
abstract: Birth cohort studies of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) and early childhood caries (ECC) in very low birthweight (VLBW) and normal birthweight (NBW) infants are rare. In this birth cohort of 234 VLBW and 234 NBW infants, we report the incidence of ECC and DDE at 8 and 18-20 mos of corrected age. Infant medical and maternal socio-demographic data were abstracted from medical records at birth. Dental assessments for ECC and DDE (enamel hypoplasia, demarcated and diffuse opacities) were completed at 8 and 18-20 mos. The incidence of hypoplasia was significantly higher in VLBW compared with NBW infants (8 mos, 19% vs. 2%; 18 mos, 31% vs. 8%). The incidence of ECC (International Caries Detection and Assessment System: ICDAS ≥ 2) was 1.4% (8 mos) and 12% (18-20 mos) and was similar between the VLBW and NBW groups. At both ages, using a beta-binomial regression model to control for potential confounders (maternal and infant characteristics), we found increased risk for enamel hypoplasia among the VLBW infants compared with the NBW infants. African Americans had a lower risk for enamel hypoplasia at 18-20 mos. The VLBW infants should be monitored for ECC due to the presence of enamel hypoplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. sxn15@case.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Curtan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miadich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heima
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eggertsson
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Slayton
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milgrom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001034:Apgar Score; D015331:Cohort Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000002:abnormalities; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008423:Maternal Age; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: children; dental caries; enamel defects; epidemiology; longitudinal studies; relative risk