title: Very low birth weight, infant growth, and autism-spectrum traits in adulthood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined whether adults born preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) differ from term-born adults in autism-spectrum traits, and whether among VLBW adults, growth in infancy is associated with these traits.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 110 VLBW and 104 term-born adults of the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient yielding total, social interaction, and attention to detail sum scores. Growth in weight, length, and head circumference from birth to term and from term to 1 year of corrected age was determined as standardized residuals reflecting growth conditional on previous history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VLBW adults scored higher than term-born controls on social interaction sum score, indicating higher autism-spectrum traits. In contrast, they scored lower on attention to detail sum score, indicating lower autism-spectrum traits. Within the VLBW group, faster growth in weight, length, and head circumference from birth to term was associated with lower total and social interaction sum scores. In this group, growth from term to 1 year was not associated with autism-spectrum traits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among those born preterm at VLBW, the risk for higher levels of autism-spectrum traits, particularly related to social interaction, may persist into adulthood. Faster growth from birth to term may ameliorate these effects, suggesting that targeted interventions could aid long-term neurodevelopment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, and riikka.pyhala@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Riikka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pyhälä
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland;
authors.forename: Petteri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hovi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, and.
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, and.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sammallahti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, and.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lahti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, and.
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, and.
authors.forename: Anu-Katriina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pesonen
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland;
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strang-Karlsson
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Vasa Central Hospital, Vasa, Finland; Unit of General Practice, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Folkhälsan Research Centre, Helsinki, Finland; and.
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland;
authors.forename: Sture
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland;
authors.forename: Anna-Liisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Järvenpää
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Research Centre Oulu, Oulu University Central Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajantie
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, and.
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Räikkönen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: autism-spectrum; infant growth; preterm birth; very low birth weight