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Total body bone mineral in light-for-gestational-age infants and appropriate-for-gestational-age infants
S Petersen1, A Gotfredsen, F U Knudsen
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark.
Insights
Dual-photon absorptiometry measured total body bone mineral in 51 newborns. Light-for-gestational-age infants had significantly lower bone mineral content than appropriate-for-gestational-age infants across preterm and term groups.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal medicine
- Pediatric bone health
- Medical imaging techniques
Background:
- Accurate assessment of bone mineral content in newborns is crucial for understanding growth and development.
- Infant nutritional status and gestational age are known factors influencing bone mineralization.
- Previous studies have highlighted variations in bone density among different infant populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify total body bone mineral in a cohort of newborn infants using dual-photon absorptiometry.
- To compare bone mineral content between light-for-gestational-age (LGA) and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants.
- To investigate the relationship between gestational age and total body bone mineral.
Main Methods:
- Utilized whole-body dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) with a 153Gd source.
- Measured total body bone mineral (TBB M) in 51 newborn infants.
- Analyzed data based on gestational age categories (preterm, term) and growth status (LGA, AGA).
Main Results:
- Preterm LGA infants had significantly lower TBB M (12.6 g) compared to preterm AGA infants (25.6 g; p < 0.05).
- Term LGA infants exhibited significantly lower TBB M (41.4 g) than term AGA infants (84.2 g; p < 0.001).
- Exponential regression analysis revealed a strong correlation between gestational age and TBB M.
Conclusions:
- Infant size for gestational age is a critical determinant of total body bone mineral content at birth.
- Dual-photon absorptiometry is an effective method for assessing bone mineral in neonates.
- Findings underscore the importance of monitoring bone health in growth-restricted newborns.
Abstract:
Dual-photon-absorptiometry using 153Gd in a whole body scanner was used to measure total body bone mineral in 51 newborn infants. In preterm light-for-gestational-age infants total body bone mineral was 12.6 g v.s. 25.6 g in preterm appropriate-for-gestational-age infants (p less than 0.05). In term light-for-gestational-age infants total body bone mineral was 41.4 g v. 84.2 g in term appropriate-for-gestational-age infants (p less than 0.001). The correlations between gestational age and total body bone mineral was best described by exponential regression lines.