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Systematic review indicates postnatal growth in term infants born small-for-gestational-age being associated with
Esther Castanys-Muñoz1, Kathy Kennedy2, Eurídice Castañeda-Gutiérrez3
1Abbott Nutrition R&D, University Science Park, Granada, Spain.
Insights
Postnatal growth in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants is linked to better neurodevelopment and metabolic health. However, few studies have tested interventions to promote this early growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants face risks for adverse neurodevelopmental and metabolic outcomes.
- Understanding the impact of postnatal growth is crucial for optimizing SGA infant health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effects of postnatal weight gain and growth on neurodevelopment and metabolic outcomes in term-born SGA infants.
- To identify gaps in intervention research for SGA infants.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of studies published in English from 1994 to October 2015.
- Included randomized trials and observational studies focusing on term-born SGA infants.
Main Results:
- Two randomized trials showed enriched formulas promoting early growth increased fat/lean mass and blood pressure (BP) without improving neurocognition.
- Thirty-one observational studies consistently linked greater postnatal weight gain and growth with improved neurocognitive outcomes, adiposity, insulin resistance, and BP.
Conclusions:
- Consistent positive associations exist between early growth and neurocognitive outcomes in term-born SGA infants.
- There is a lack of intervention studies evaluating strategies to optimize postnatal growth in this population.
Abstract:
We systematically reviewed papers published in English between 1994 and October 2015 on how postnatal weight gain and growth affect neurodevelopment and metabolic outcomes in term-born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. Two randomised trials reported that enriched infant formulas that promoted early growth also increased fat mass, lean mass and blood pressure (BP), but had no effect on early neurocognitive outcomes. Meanwhile, 31 observational studies reported consistent positive associations between postnatal weight gain and growth with neurocognitive outcomes, adiposity, insulin resistance and BP.
Conclusion:
Few intervention studies exist, despite consistent positive associations between early growth and neurocognition in term-born SGA infants.