Growth and body composition in preterm newborns with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a cohort study

Objective To compare growth and body composition of preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks) with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Methods A prospective cohort involving three neonatal units in the public health system of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Inclusion: newborns with gestational age <32 weeks.

BPD. Anthropometric measurements were performed at birth and at 1 month of infant corrected age. Body composition was measured using an air displacement plethysmography (ADP) (PEA POD®) at 1 month of infant corrected age. Results Ninety-five newborns were eligible, of which 67 were included, 32.8% of them with BPD. Newborns with BPD presented lower gestational age at birth, greater need for resuscitation in the delivery room, received parenteral nutrition (PN) for a longer period of time, achieved lower weights during hospital stay and required more time to reach a full enteral diet. No statistically significant differences were observed in relation to anthropometric measurements and body composition at 1 month of infant corrected age between the groups with and without BPD. Conclusion This study, unlike previous ones, has shown that children who developed BPD were able to regain growth, as measured by anthropometric measures, with no change in body composition at 1 month of infant corrected age.