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Kidney growth in small-for-gestational-age infants: Evidence of early accelerated renal growth

Vasileios Giapros1, Aikaterini Drougia, Efthalia Hotoura

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Ioannina PO Box 1186, Ioannina 451 10, Greece. vgiapros@cc.uoi.gr

Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation : Official Publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association
|August 29, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Small for gestational age (SGA) infants born at term had smaller kidneys at birth but showed catch-up kidney growth by 3 months. Renal length in SGA infants normalized by 2 years, indicating accelerated renal maturation or compensatory hypertrophy.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nephrology
  • Neonatal Growth Studies
  • Renal Ultrasound Imaging

Background:

  • Limited data exist on longitudinal renal growth in term infants small for gestational age (SGA).
  • Understanding renal development in SGA infants is crucial for long-term health outcomes.
  • This study prospectively compares renal growth in SGA and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate and compare renal growth in SGA and AGA infants during the first two years of life.
  • To investigate the trajectory of kidney length (KL) in relation to anthropometric indices.
  • To identify potential catch-up growth patterns in SGA infants' renal development.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of term infants (gestational age 36-41 weeks) divided into SGA and AGA groups.
  • SGA infants were subclassified into symmetrical and asymmetrical based on ponderal index.
  • Serial renal ultrasonography (US) was performed at corrected age 41 weeks and chronological ages 3, 6, 12, and 24 months to measure kidney length (KL).

Main Results:

  • SGA infants, particularly symmetrical SGA, exhibited smaller kidney length (KL) at birth compared to AGA infants (P < 0.0001).
  • SGA infants showed reduced body weight and crown-heel length at 12 and 24 months.
  • Despite smaller initial size, KL in both SGA groups normalized and was similar to AGA infants from 3 to 24 months.

Conclusions:

  • Term SGA infants have shorter kidney length at birth but achieve similar renal length to AGA infants by 3 months.
  • Early catch-up kidney growth is evident in SGA infants, more pronounced in the symmetrical subgroup.
  • This catch-up growth may reflect accelerated renal maturation or compensatory kidney hypertrophy in SGA infants.
Abstract

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