Do early postnatal body weight changes contribute to neonatal morbidities in the extremely low birth weight infants

The implications of early postnatal body weight changes (Δbw) in the morbidities related to body fluid metabolism in sick preterm infants in not well investigated. The extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW, birth weight <1000 g) have the highest incidence of such morbidities among all neonates.

To determine the relationships between Δbw and neonatal morbidities associated with body fluid metabolism in the ELBW infants.

In an observational study, the associations between daily weight changes from birth weight (DΔ bw) and oxygen dependence on postnatal day 28 (BPD28), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), intraventricular-periventricular hemorrhage (IVH), antenatal steroid (ANS) and gestational age (GA) were evaluated. Maximum weight loss (MΔ bw) was correlated with GA, BPD28 and BPD36 (oxygen dependence on postmenstrual 36 weeks). Pearson's correlation co-efficient and multivariate logistic regressions were performed for analysis.

DΔ bw correlated inversely with GA on days 1-8 of life (p <  0.01 for all, 0.06 for DOL 2). DΔ bw was associated with a lower risk of BPD28 on days 6 (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-1), 10 (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.76-0.98) and 11 (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.99); with PDA on days 8-11 (OR ranging between 0.89 to 0.92 for the 4 days, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.99) and with IVH on day 5 (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.86-1) after controlling for GA. DΔ bw was not identified as risk factor for the tested morbidities. ANS decreased DΔ bw on days 4 (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-1) and 10 (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.84-1). MΔbw correlated directly with BPD28 (r = 0.3, p = 0.004), which declined after controlling for GA (r = 0.2, p = 0.2).

DΔ bw is protective for PDA, BPD28 and IVH, independent of gestational age, whereas, the effects of MΔ bw on BPD are governed by maturation in ELBW infants. ANS decreases DΔbw, which correlates inversely with GA during the first week of life.