| Failure to Thrive of Very Low Birth Weight Infants up to Corrected 18 Months of Age. |
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Jae Won Shim, Jong Hee Whang, Chang Won Choi, Yun Sil Chang, Won Soon Park |
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Department of Pediatrics, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. wspark@smc.samsung.co.kr |
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| Abstract |
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and contributing factors of failure to thrive (FTT) up to corrected 18 months of age in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. METHODS: Medical records of 98 VLBW infants admitted to NICU of Samsung Medical Center from January 1996 to December 2000, were reviewed retrospectively whose follow-up's were possible up to corrected 18 months of age. We defined FTT as failure to achieve body weight below 10th percentile of standard Korean infant's growth curve for appropriate corrected age. We investigated maternal, neonatal risk factors for FTT and changing pattern of growth parameters. RESULTS: The risk factors of FTT in VLBW infants were birth weight, gestational age, RDS, BPD, durations of ventilator care, TPN and hospitalization. When corrected for birth weight and gestational age, only duration of hospitalization remained to be a significant risk factor.
Unlike body weight, height attained 10th percentile at corrected 15 months for VLBW infants, 18 months for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. Head circumference attained 10th percentile more earlier at corrected 5 months for VLBW infants, 12 months for ELBW infants, respectively. Catch up growth occurred in the order of head circumference followed by height. CONCLUSION: Risk factors for FTT in VLBW infants and ELBW infants is multifactorial. To enhance optimal growth and development of VLBW infants, further studies on nutritional management related to enteral feeding is needed. |
| Key Words:
Failure to thrive; Catch-up growth; Very low birth weight infants |
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