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The long-term impact of very preterm birth on adult bone mineral density

Li Feng Xie1, Nathalie Alos1,2, Anik Cloutier1

  • 1Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada.

Bone Reports
|January 11, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Young adults born very preterm have lower bone mineral density (BMD) at the femoral neck compared to full-term controls. This finding suggests potential long-term bone health implications for individuals born extremely prematurely.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Orthopedics
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Preterm infants face risks of osteopenia due to inadequate bone mineral accretion.
  • Long-term bone health effects of prematurity are not well-established.
  • This study investigates bone mineral density (BMD) in young adults born very preterm.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare BMD in young adults born very preterm versus full-term controls.
  • To identify factors associated with long-term bone health in preterm individuals.

Main Methods:

  • An observational, cross-sectional study included 101 very preterm (<29 weeks gestation) and 95 full-term young adults (18-29 years).
  • Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured areal BMD and body composition.
  • Generalized estimating equations adjusted for height Z-score, lean body mass, and fat mass.

Main Results:

  • Adults born preterm were shorter and lighter than controls.
  • Areal BMD was reduced in the preterm group at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and whole body.
  • After adjustment, only the femoral neck showed a significantly lower BMD Z-score (-0.3) in the preterm group. No neonatal factors correlated with lower BMD in preterm individuals.

Conclusions:

  • Very preterm birth is linked to reduced femoral neck areal BMD in young adulthood, independent of body size.
  • The long-term clinical significance, including fracture risk, remains to be determined.
Abstract

Keywords:
25OHD, 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferolBMI, body mass indexBone healthBone mineral densityCA, corrected ageCI, confidence intervalGA, gestational ageIQR, interquartile rangeOsteopeniaPrematuritySD, standard deviationaBMD, areal bone mineral density

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