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Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
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Is term newborn body composition being achieved postnatally in preterm infants?

Paola Roggero1, Maria Lorella Giannì, Orsola Amato

  • 1Institute of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, University of Milan, Italy. paola.roggero@mangiagalli.it

Early Human Development
|January 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Preterm infants have significantly higher body fat mass at term corrected age compared to full-term newborns. This difference in body composition is linked to gestational age and weight gain.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Body Composition Analysis

Background:

  • The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends preterm infant growth and body composition mirror fetal development.
  • Understanding body composition in preterm infants is crucial for optimizing growth and development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare total body fat mass between preterm infants (at term corrected age) and full-term newborns.
  • To investigate factors influencing adiposity in preterm infants, including gestational age, gender, weight increase, and breastfeeding.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective observational study involving 110 preterm infants and 87 full-term infants.
  • Body composition, including fat mass, was assessed using pediatric air displacement plethysmography.
  • Measurements were taken at term corrected age for preterm infants and on day 3 for full-term infants.

Main Results:

  • Preterm infants exhibited significantly higher percentage of fat mass (14.8%) compared to full-term infants (8.59%) at term corrected age (P<0.0001).
  • Lower gestational age was negatively correlated with fat mass (P<0.001).
  • Increased weight gain was positively associated with higher fat mass (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Body composition, specifically fat mass, differs significantly between preterm infants at term corrected age and full-term newborns.
  • These findings highlight potential long-term implications for metabolic health in preterm populations.
Abstract

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