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Differentiation and Imaging of Brown Adipocytes from the Stromal Vascular Fraction of Interscapular Adipose Tissue from Newborn Mice
Published on: February 3, 2023
[Intra-abdominal adiposity in preterm infants: an explorative study]
F Taroni1, L Forzenigo2, T Tondolo3
1NICU, University Departement of Maternal and Pediatric Sciences, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. francesca.taroni@unimi.it
Insights
Preterm infants have higher total body fat mass than full-term newborns. However, preterm infants do not show increased intra-abdominal adipose tissue compared to full-term infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Body composition analysis
- Adipose tissue distribution
Context:
- Preterm infants face unique developmental challenges.
- Accurate assessment of body composition is crucial for preterm infants.
- Intra-abdominal adipose tissue is linked to metabolic health.
Purpose:
- To compare total body fat mass and intra-abdominal adipose tissue in preterm infants (at corrected term age) versus full-term newborns.
- To investigate potential differences in fat distribution related to prematurity.
Summary:
- Total body fat mass was higher in preterm infants (633g +/- 183g) compared to full-term infants (538g +/- 203g).
- Intra-abdominal fat mass was lower in preterm infants (14.2g +/- 4.9g) than in full-term infants (19.9g +/- 11.4g).
- Preterm infants do not exhibit increased intra-abdominal adipose tissue despite higher overall body fat.
Impact:
- Findings suggest that prematurity influences overall fat accumulation differently than visceral fat deposition.
- This research aids in understanding long-term metabolic health risks in preterm populations.
- Provides baseline data for future interventions aimed at optimizing body composition in preterm infants.
Objective:
The aim of the present study was to compare the total body fat mass and the intra-abdominal adipose tissue between preterm infants assessed at term corrected age and full-term newborns.
Methods:
An observational explorative study was conducted. 25 preterm and 10 full term infants were evaluated at 0-1 month of corrected and postnatal age, respectively. The total body fat mass was assessed by means of an air displacement plethysmography system (Pea Pod COSMED, USA) and the intra-abdominal adipose tissue by means of magnetic resonance imaging (software program SliceOMatic, Version 4.3,Tomovision, Canada).
Results:
Total body fat mass (g) of preterm and term infants was 633 (+/- 183) and 538 (+/- 203) respectively while intra-abdominal fat mass (g) was 14.2 (+/- 4.9) and 19.9 (+/- 11.4).
Conclusions:
Preterm infants, although exhibiting a total body fat mass higher than full term infants, do not show an increased intra-abdominal adipose tissue.
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