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Published on: November 20, 2015
[Osteopenia of prematurity]
István Kocsis1, Eva Kis, András Szabó
1MTA Semmelweis Egyetem, Gyermekgyógyászati es Nefrológiai Kutatócsoport, I. Gyermekgyógyászati Klinika, Budapest. kopist@gyer1.sote.hu
Insights
Osteopenia of prematurity is a growing concern in premature infants, affecting up to 30% of those born before 28 weeks. This review covers prevention and treatment to ensure optimal bone health and prevent adult osteoporosis.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Bone Metabolism
Context:
- Increased survival rates of premature infants have led to a rise in chronic conditions like osteopenia of prematurity.
- Osteopenia of prematurity is diagnosed by reduced bone mineral density in preterm infants without signs of rickets.
- Incidence is as high as 30% in infants born before 28 weeks of gestation.
Purpose:
- To review current information on the prevention and treatment of osteopenia of prematurity.
- To summarize strategies for avoiding fractures and bone deformities in preterm infants.
- To emphasize achieving genetically determined peak bone mass for long-term skeletal health.
Summary:
- Osteopenia of prematurity is characterized by low bone mineral density in preterm infants.
- Diagnosis relies on bone density measurements, excluding other metabolic bone diseases.
- Effective prevention and treatment are crucial for achieving optimal bone mass.
Impact:
- Adequate bone mineralization in infancy is vital for preventing osteoporosis in adulthood.
- Addressing osteopenia of prematurity is a significant public health concern.
- Early intervention ensures better long-term skeletal health outcomes for premature infants.
Abstract:
The survival rate of premature infants has been significantly increased during the last decades. As a consequence, the problem of less imminent, slowly progressing, but also important disorders such as osteopenia of prematurity has been emerging. The diagnosis of osteopenia of prematurity is based evidence for less bone mineral density compared to fetuses or infants at the same gestational age in the absence of laboratory parameters and/or clinical signs for rachitis or other metabolic bone disease. The incidence of osteopenia among infants born before 28 weeks of gestational age are as high as 30%. The aim of this paper is to review the information regarding the prevention and treatment of osteopenia of prematurity and to summarize the preventive measures to avoid fractures or bone deformations and to achieve the genetically determined peak bone mass. The latter is essential for the prevention of osteoporosis in adulthood, a significant problem of public health.
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