Abstract Objective To understand the growth and development status and differences between small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) preterm infants during corrected ages 0-24 months, and to provide a basis for early health interventions for preterm infants. Methods A retrospective study was conducted, selecting 824 preterm infants who received regular health care at the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from July 2019 to July 2022, including 144 SGA and 680 AGA infants. The growth data of SGA and AGA groups at birth and corrected ages 0-24 months were analyzed and compared. Results The SGA group had significantly lower weight and length than the AGA group at corrected ages 0-18 months (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the two groups at corrected age 24 months (P>0.05). At corrected age 24 months, 85% (34/40) of SGA and 79% (74/94) of AGA preterm infants achieved catch-up growth. Stratified analysis by gestational age showed that there were significant differences in weight and length at corrected ages 0-9 months between the SGA subgroup with gestational age <34 weeks and the AGA subgroups with gestational age <34 weeks and ≥34 weeks (P<0.05). In addition, the weight and length of the SGA subgroup with gestational age ≥34 weeks showed significant differences compared to the AGA subgroups with gestational age <34 weeks and ≥34 weeks at corrected ages 0-18 months and corrected ages 0-12 months, respectively (P<0.05). Catch-up growth for SGA infants with gestational age <34 weeks and ≥34 weeks mainly occurred at corrected ages 0-12 months and corrected ages 0-18 months, respectively. Conclusions SGA infants exhibit delayed early-life physical growth compared to AGA infants, but can achieve a higher proportion of catch-up growth by corrected age 24 months than AGA infants. Catch-up growth can be achieved earlier in SGA infants with a gestational age of <34 weeks compared to those with ≥34 weeks.
LI Jia-Mei,XIE Qun-Ying,WEN Yu-Qi et al. Longitudinal study on catch-up growth in preterm infants with small for gestational age at corrected ages 0-24 months[J]. CJCP, 2024, 26(1): 72-80.
LI Jia-Mei,XIE Qun-Ying,WEN Yu-Qi et al. Longitudinal study on catch-up growth in preterm infants with small for gestational age at corrected ages 0-24 months[J]. CJCP, 2024, 26(1): 72-80.
Lee AC, Katz J, Blencowe H, et al. National and regional estimates of term and preterm babies born small for gestational age in 138 low-income and middle-income countries in 2010[J]. Lancet Glob Health, 2013, 1(1): e26-e36. PMID: 25103583. PMCID: PMC4221634. DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(13)70006-8.
Lawn JE, Ohuma EO, Bradley E, et al. Small babies, big risks: global estimates of prevalence and mortality for vulnerable newborns to accelerate change and improve counting[J]. Lancet, 2023, 401(10389): 1707-1719. PMID: 37167989. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00522-6.
Yu WH, Wang ST, Chen LW, et al. Effect of first-month head-size growth trajectory on cognitive outcomes in preterm infants[J]. J Formos Med Assoc, 2022, 121(1 Pt 2): 367-374. PMID: 34099330. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2021.05.013.
Wang LW, Lin YC, Wang ST, et al. Trends in survival, neonatal morbidity and neurodevelopmental outcome of very preterm infants in Tainan, Southern Taiwan, 1995-2016[J]. J Formos Med Assoc, 2021, 120(6): 1314-1323. PMID: 33478783. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2020.12.025.
Takeuchi A, Yorifuji T, Hattori M, et al. Catch-up growth and behavioral development among preterm, small-for-gestational-age children: a nationwide Japanese population-based study[J]. Brain Dev, 2019, 41(5): 397-405. PMID: 30611596. DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2018.12.004.
Van de Pol C, Allegaert K. Growth patterns and body composition in former extremely low birth weight (ELBW) neonates until adulthood: a systematic review[J]. Eur J Pediatr, 2020, 179(5): 757-771. PMID: 31901983. DOI: 10.1007/s00431-019-03552-z.
Wang LK, Chen CY, Sun FJ, et al. Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 6, 12, and 24 months of age in preterm infants with very low birth weights in Taiwan[J]. J Formos Med Assoc, 2022, 121(9): 1804-1812. PMID: 35256237. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2022.02.012.
Olbertz DM, Mumm R, Wittwer-Backofen U, et al. Identification of growth patterns of preterm and small-for-gestational age children from birth to 4 years: do they catch up?[J]. J Perinat Med, 2019, 47(4): 448-454. PMID: 30759068. DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2018-0239.
