Morbidity and mortality patterns in small-for-gestational age infants born preterm

Small-for-gestational age (SGA) neonates born prematurely may be at higher risk for adverse effects during the early postnatal period than premature neonates born appropriate for gestational age (AGA).This study aims to study comparatively morbidity and mortality in SGA and AGA neonates born with low gestational age (GA).

The study population included all preterm infants born alive with GA 24-31 weeks in Northwestern Greece during a 9-year period and hospitalized in the regional neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The association of SGA status with neonatal death, and with chronic lung disease (CLD), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), and sepsis was assessed, using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Of 210 infants without congenital anomalies born at GA 24-31 weeks, 51 were SGA and 159 were AGA. CLD was more common in SGA than in AGA neonates (57.1% vs 29.3%, p < 0.05), but no differences were found in the rates of IVH, NEC, ROP, RDS, and sepsis. The mortality rate in the SGA group was 33.3% vs 17% in the AGA group (p < 0.01), and in the subgroups 28-31 weeks 24.1% vs 6.3%, respectively, (p < 0.01). In logistic regression analysis, SGA status was strongly associated with increased mortality and CLD, independent of confounding factors [odd ratios and confidence intervals: 3.4 (CI: 1.8-10.6) p = 0.03 and 3.9 (CI: 1.7-11.5) p < 0.01, respectively.

SGA neonates with GA 24-31 weeks were at increased risk of development of CLD and of neonatal death compared with AGA neonates of the same GA.