title: Impact of Surgery for Neonatal Gastrointestinal Diseases on Weight and Fat Mass.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare growth, fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass in surgical infants vs matched controls at similar postconceptional age (PCA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric and body composition measurements by air-displacement plethysmography (PeaPod-Infant Body Composition System; LMI, Concord, California) were performed at the same PCA in 21 infants who received gastrointestinal surgery and in 21 controls matched for gestational age, birth weight, and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite similar anthropometry at birth, postsurgical infants were shorter (50.4 [4.7] cm vs 53.2 [4.1] cm, P = .001), lighter (3516 [743] g vs 3946 [874] g, P < .001), and had lower FM content (%FM 14.8 [4.7]% vs 20.2 [5.8]%, P < .0001) than their peers at similar PCA (43 [4] weeks). All surgical infants but 1 (20/21) received parenteral nutrition (PN). Mean PN duration was 40 (30) days. Five infants in the control group received PN because of prematurity for 15 (9-30) days. Nine infants in the surgical group and 1 in the control group had PN-associated cholestasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonates having surgery for gastrointestinal diseases were shorter, had lower weight, and lower FM content than their peers, despite receiving more PN. Body composition evaluation and monitoring may help optimize growth in these newborns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Medicine, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: angeladcnt@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Cunto
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Medicine, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paviotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Medicine, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Travan
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Medicine, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bua
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Medicine, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cont
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Medicine, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demarini
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases; D008297:Male; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition