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Variability of abdominal circumference of premature infants
P Bhatia1, K J Johnson, E F Bell
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
Insights
Serial abdominal circumference measurements in premature infants show normal variations. Increases under 1.5 cm are common and not indicative of disease without other clinical signs, aiding in accurate infant monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric gastroenterology
Background:
- Accurate monitoring of infant health is crucial.
- Abdominal circumference is a key indicator in premature infants.
- Variability in measurements can lead to misdiagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normal ranges for abdominal circumference in premature infants.
- To assess the reliability of abdominal circumference measurements.
- To differentiate normal variations from pathological changes.
Main Methods:
- Serial abdominal circumference measurements were taken in 27 premature infants.
- Measurements were performed at specific intervals around feeding times.
- Interobserver reliability was assessed on a subset of measurements.
Main Results:
- High interobserver reliability (0.99) and low coefficient of variation (2.7%) were observed.
- Abdominal circumference correlated positively with birth weight and time since last defecation.
- Increases <1.5 cm are normal and not indicative of disease in the absence of other clinical signs.
Conclusions:
- Standardized measurement protocols ensure reliable abdominal circumference data.
- Understanding normal variations aids in early detection of infant conditions.
- Abdominal circumference measurements are valuable for monitoring premature infant health.
Abstract:
Serial measurements of abdominal circumference were made in 27 premature infants 1 hour before feeding, immediately before and after feeding, and 1 and 2 hours after feeding. In some infants these measurements were repeated for 2 (n = 18) or 3 (n = 3) consecutive days. All 258 measurements were performed by the same examiner; 124 were also repeated blindly by another examiner to test interobserver reliability. The coefficient of variation of repeated measurements of any one infant by the same examiner on a single day was 2.7%. Ninety percent of repeated measurements agreed within 1.5 cm. The interobserver reliability was 0.99. Abdominal circumference was positively correlated with birth weight (P = .0001) and time from last defecation (P = .0001) and negatively correlated with time from last feeding (P = .04). Increases in abdominal circumference of less than 1.5 cm occur normally and, in the absence of other clinical signs, should not be considered indicative of disease.