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Bone mineral content and body size 65 to 100 weeks' postconception in preterm and full term infants
A Horsman1, S W Ryan, P J Congdon
1Department of Medical Physics, General Infirmary, Leeds.
Insights
Preterm infants are smaller but catch up in bone mineral content by 60 weeks postconception. This rapid accretion helps overcome early deficits, promoting healthy childhood development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Neonatology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Preterm infants often exhibit growth deficits compared to full-term infants.
- Understanding bone mineral accretion is crucial for long-term infant health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare growth and bone mineral content between preterm and full-term infants.
- To investigate the timing and extent of bone mineral catch-up growth in preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- Weight and length measurements were taken in 36 preterm and 22 full-term infants.
- Bone mineral content was assessed in the mid-forearm at 65 to 100 weeks' postconception.
- Comparisons were made between the two groups at specific postconception ages.
Main Results:
- Preterm infants were significantly lighter and shorter than full-term infants.
- At 65-100 weeks' postconception, no significant difference in bone mineral content was found.
- Near 40 weeks' postconception, preterm infants showed significantly lower bone mineral content.
Conclusions:
- A critical period for rapid bone mineral accretion occurs between 40 and 60 weeks' postconception.
- Preterm infants experience a 'catch-up' in mineral accretion, mitigating perinatal deficits.
- This catch-up growth is vital for preventing persistent mineralization issues into childhood.
Abstract:
A total of 36 preterm and 22 full term infants were weighed and measured at 65 to 100 weeks' postconception. It was found that the preterm infants were on average significantly lighter by 1008 g and shorter by 3.8 cm than those born at full term. Despite the smaller size of preterm infants, mean values of bone mineral content in the mid-forearm were not significantly different between the two groups. In contrast, near 40 weeks' postconception the mean bone mineral content observed in 35 of the preterm infants was significantly smaller than that observed in eight of the full term infants. Our results suggest that there is a phase of rapid mineral accretion between 40 and 60 weeks' postconception. This 'catch up' in mineral accretion reduces the perinatal mineralisation deficit that might otherwise persist into childhood.