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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Biochemical Measurement of Neonatal Hypoxia
Published on: August 24, 2011
Short-term growth of premature infants treated with dexamethasone assessed by mini-knemometry
A Keller1, E Keller, M Hermanussen
1Hospital of Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Oststr. 21-25, 04317 Leipzig, Germany. kela@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Insights
Lower doses of dexamethasone (DEXA) in premature infants did not affect leg length long-term. Higher DEXA doses temporarily suppressed growth for over 24 hours.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Growth and development
Background:
- Premature infants often require dexamethasone (DEXA) for respiratory distress syndrome.
- The impact of DEXA on linear growth in neonates is a significant clinical concern.
- Understanding dose-dependent effects is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the direct impact of dexamethasone on premature infants' lower leg length.
- To investigate the relationship between varying dexamethasone doses and growth alterations.
- To assess the duration of growth suppression following dexamethasone administration.
Main Methods:
- Mini-knemometry was used for daily lower leg length measurements in 20 premature infants.
- Infants' gestational age averaged 26.8 weeks, with a mean birth weight of 973g.
- Dexamethasone administrations (n=41) were categorized into three cumulative dose groups (≤0.75, 0.75-1.0, >1.0 mg/kg BW).
Main Results:
- Catch-up growth was observed within 24 hours in the lowest dose group (Group I).
- Infants receiving higher doses (Groups II and III) required 48-72 hours for growth to normalize.
- Lower DEXA doses showed no discernible long-term effect on lower leg length.
Conclusions:
- Lower dexamethasone doses appear safe regarding long-term linear growth in premature infants.
- Higher dexamethasone doses are associated with a transient but prolonged suppression of growth.
- Careful dose management of dexamethasone is recommended to mitigate potential growth disturbances.
Aim:
The study aimed to measure the direct effect of dexamethasone (DEXA) on daily lower leg length per mini-knemometry of premature infants and to examine whether the administration of different doses is associated with alternations in growth.
Patients And Methods:
We observed 20 premature children and had 276 complete mini-knemometrical and weight measurements (13.8 measurements per single child) for analysis. The gestational age of the infants was 26.8 +/- 1.9 weeks; the mean birth weight was 973 +/- 336 g. All infants underwent daily measurements of lower leg length performed by mini-knemometry. We divided the 41 DEXA administrations into three subgroups. Group I included a cumulative dose of 0.75 mg DEXA per kg bodyweight (BW), group II doses between 0.75 and 1.0 mg per kg BW and group III dosages above 1.0 mg per kg BW.
Results:
We observed catch-up growth in group I within 24 h after stopping therapy. Groups II and III needed 48-72 h to achieve a normal level in short-term growth.
Conclusion:
Lower doses seemed to have an equivalent effect without long-term effect on lower leg length. In higher doses (groups II and III) the growth was suppressed for more than 24 h.
