Phalangeal quantitative ultrasound measurements in former pre-term children aged 9-11 years

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Bone Health
• Neonatology

Background:

• Premature birth can impact long-term health, including bone development.
• Assessing skeletal status in school-aged children born prematurely is crucial for understanding growth trajectories.
• Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) offers a non-invasive method to evaluate bone properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare phalangeal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements in pre-term children with age-matched term-born controls.
• To evaluate the skeletal status of children aged 9-11 years who were born prematurely.
• To determine if prematurity affects bone status by late childhood.

Main Methods:

• Phalangeal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements were performed using the DBM Sonic 1200 device.
• The amplitude dependent speed of sound (Ad-SoS) was measured in 38 pre-term children and 50 term-born controls.
• Participant data included age (9-11 years), weight, height, and birth status (pre-term vs. term).

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in Ad-SoS values between the pre-term and term-born groups.
• Weight and height measurements also showed no significant variations between the two groups.
• These findings were consistent regardless of birth weight or the degree of prematurity.

Conclusions:

• Phalangeal ultrasound measurements indicate that bone status in children born prematurely is comparable to that of term-born children by age 9-11 years.
• Early life prematurity does not appear to lead to lasting deficits in bone status detectable by QUS in late childhood.
• Phalangeal QUS is a reliable tool for assessing bone health in school-aged children with a history of prematurity.