title: Skinfold thickness of preterm newborns when they become late preterm infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nutrition of very low-birth-weight newborns is important for a good physical and neurologic outcome. Body composition assessment, together with anthropometric measurements, is considered necessary to monitor adequate nutrition and growth. Objectives of this study were to assess body fat changes in newborns ≤32 weeks gestation by weekly skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements and to compare them with those of late preterm infants born at 34, 35, and 36 weeks once they reached 34, 35, and 36 weeks corrected age (CA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm infants ≤32 weeks gestation had SFT measured from 4 body sites, including biceps, triceps, and subscapulary and suprailiac regions, by a Holtain caliper starting from 48 hours of age at weekly intervals until 34, 35, and 36 weeks CA. The measurements were compared with those of late preterm controls born at 34, 35, and 36 weeks gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 37 preterm infants in the patient group. When reaching 34, 35, and 36 weeks CA, preterm infants had higher SFT values compared with controls in all body sites. Median and range of total SFT were 14.6 mm (9.6-18.9 mm) in patients and 11 mm (7.8-16.4 mm) in controls at 34 weeks CA, 15.5 mm (10.7-21.8 mm) in patients and 12.3 mm (7-17 mm) in controls at 35 weeks CA, and 16.4 mm (11.8-23.7 mm) in patients and 12.9 mm (7-17.8 mm) in controls at 36 weeks CA (P = .001 in all). No sex difference was observed at 34 and 35 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show that preterm infants start accumulating excess fat even from early weeks of life. Careful assessment of growth by tools other than simple anthropometric measurements is essential to avoid future complications.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Meral
authors: M
authors: Simsek
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey ebruergenekon@gmail.com.
authors: Ebru
authors: E
authors: Ergenekon
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Dr.Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Serdar
authors: S
authors: Beken
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ferit
authors: F
authors: Kulalı
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Sezin
authors: S
authors: Unal
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ebru
authors: E
authors: Kazancı
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Selma
authors: S
authors: Aktas
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Nilgun
authors: N
authors: Altuntas
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Hirfanoglu
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Canan
authors: C
authors: Turkyılmaz
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Esin
authors: E
authors: Koç
authors: Division of Newborn Medicine, Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Yıldız
authors: Y
authors: Atalay
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000254:growth & development*; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
keywords: body composition; growth; premature infant; skinfold thickness