title: Higher growth, fat and fat-free masses correlate with larger cerebellar volumes in preterm infants at term.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Smaller cerebellar volumes in very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants at term have been related to adverse cognitive outcomes, and this study evaluated whether these volumes were associated with a growth in body composition during hospital stays.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively recruited 42 VLBW infants from an Italian neonatal unit between January 2013 and August 2015. Cerebellar volumes and body composition were measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and air-displacement plethysmography, respectively, at 40 weeks of gestational age and anthropometric and nutritional data were collected. We also included 20 term-born controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean gestational age and birthweight of the VLBW infants were 29.4 (±1.9) weeks and 1120 (±290) g. There was a positive correlation between cerebellar volumes and daily weight gain from birth to term (R2= 0.26, p = 0.001), weight (R2= 0.25, p = 0.001), length (R2= 0.16, p = 0.01), fat mass (R2= 0.15, p = 0.01) and fat-free mass at term (R2= 0.20, p = 0.003). In multiple regression analysis, daily weight gain, mechanical ventilation and postconceptional age at MRI were independently associated with cerebellar volumes. Anthropometric data and cerebellar volumes were similar between VLBW and control infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher growth, higher fat mass and fat-free mass were associated with larger cerebellar volumes in VLBW infants at term.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paviotti
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Cunto
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Radiology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zennaro
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boz
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Travan
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cont
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bua
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demarini
mesh_terms: D001823:Body Composition; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis
keywords: Body composition; Cerebellum; Preterm growth; Preterm nutrition; Very low-birthweight