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Determinants of bone mass and size in 7-year-old former term, late-preterm, and preterm boys

H Abou Samra1, D Stevens, T Binkley

  • 1College of Nursing, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA. haifa.samra@sdstate.edu

Osteoporosis International : a Journal Established As Result of Cooperation Between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA
|March 25, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Full-term boys exhibit superior bone size and mass compared to preterm and late-preterm boys. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring bone development in preterm infants and considering specialized nutrition.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Bone Biology
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Preterm birth can impact long-term skeletal development.
  • Understanding bone mass and size differences is crucial for preterm infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare bone mass and size in prepubertal boys born at term, late-preterm, and preterm.
  • To identify factors associated with bone mass and size in these groups.

Main Methods:

  • Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) were used.
  • Measurements included total body, spine, hip, and tibia in 24 boys aged 5.7–8.3 years.

Main Results:

  • Term boys showed greater bone size and mineral content than preterm boys.
  • Term boys also had higher bone mineral content and density than late-preterm boys.
  • No significant differences in activity measures were found among the groups.

Conclusions:

  • Boys born at term have better bone development than preterm and late-preterm counterparts.
  • Gestational age is a significant determinant of bone mass and size in prepubertal boys.
  • Further research on nutritional interventions for preterm infants is warranted.
Abstract

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