Postnatal betamethasone treatment in extremely preterm infants and risk of neurodevelopmental impairment: a cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate if postnatal treatment with betamethasone in extremely preterm infants was associated with neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 6.5 years of age.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Different feeding regimens were not associated with variation in body composition in preterm infants.

Aim: The aim was to determine body composition and growth in preterm infants based on two different feeding regimens and to assess how standard and individual fortification (IF) affect energy and protein intake. Body composition was assessed at full term and at four months corrected age.

Methods: Sixty preterm infants born before gestational week 32 were randomized either to IF of mother's breast milk after it had been analyzed or to standard fortification (SF) of mother's breast milk based on the average protein and energy content of breast milk.

Premature birth was not associated with increased body fatness in four-year-old boys and girls.

Aim: Premature birth is a worldwide problem and increases the risk of chronic disease later in life. Prematurely born infants may have a high percentage of body fat at term-equivalent age, but it is unclear if this characteristic is maintained in childhood. Therefore, we compared the size and body composition of four-year-old prematurely born children to such values of full-term controls.

Body composition and growth in full-term small for gestational age and large for gestational age Swedish infants assessed with air displacement plethysmography at birth and at 3-4 months of age.

Background: Being born small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA) has short and long term metabolic consequences. There is a growing interest in the extent to which body composition, both in the short and the long term, differs in infants born at the extremes of these birth weights.

Methods: Body composition in 25 SGA and 25 LGA infants were assessed during the first days of life and at 3-4 months of age using air displacement plethysmography.

Effects of a gestational weight gain restriction program for obese women: Sibling pairs' weight development during the first five years of life.

Objectives: Successful gestational weight gain (GWG) restriction programs for obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m) pregnant women, have not, so far, shown convincing effects on infant's weight development. An intervention starting during the pregnancy might be too late and a pre-conceptional life style change may be preferable. Thus, the aim of this study was to follow children born to mothers who had participated in a weight gain restriction program during pregnancy, and make comparisons with their younger siblings.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Among Extremely Preterm Infants 6.5 Years After Active Perinatal Care in Sweden.

Importance: Active perinatal care increases the rate of survival of extremely preterm infants, but there are concerns that improved survival might increase the rate of disabled survivors.

Objective: To determine the neurodevelopmental outcomes of a national cohort of children 6.5 years of age who had been born extremely preterm (<27 weeks' gestational age) in Sweden.

An Evaluation of the Pea Pod System for Assessing Body Composition of Moderately Premature Infants.

(1) BACKGROUND: Assessing the quality of growth in premature infants is important in order to be able to provide them with optimal nutrition. The Pea Pod device, based on air displacement plethysmography, is able to assess body composition of infants. However, this method has not been sufficiently evaluated in premature infants; (2) METHODS: In 14 infants in an age range of 3-7 days, born after 32-35 completed weeks of gestation, body weight, body volume, fat-free mass density (predicted by the Pea Pod software), and total body water (isotope dilution) were assessed.

Effects of a Gestational Weight Gain Restriction Program for Obese Pregnant Women: Children's Weight Development during the First Five Years of Life.

Background: Maternal prepregnancy obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m(2)) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) have shown a strong positive association with a higher BMI and risk of obesity in the offspring. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of a GWG restriction program for obese pregnant women on the children's BMI at 5 years of age and weight-for-length/height (WL/H) development from 2 months of age until 5 years of age.

Methods: This was a follow-up study of 302 children (137 children in an intervention group and 165 children in a control group) whose mothers participated in a weight gain restriction program during pregnancy.

Body composition in late preterm infants in the first 10 days of life and at full term.

Aim: To investigate changes in body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass and percentage of body fat during early life and at full-term postconceptional age (PCA) in preterm infants born after 32 gestational weeks and before 37.

Methods: Twenty-nine late preterm infants underwent growth and body composition assessment by air displacement plethysmography (ADP) at the age of 4 days and at full-term PCA. In 25 of these infants, body composition was assessed three times between days four and nine of life.

Preterm lambs given intravenous dopamine show increased dopamine in their cerebrospinal fluid.

Aim: Dopamine is used as an inotropic medication in preterm infants. The preterm human blood brain barrier (BBB) is permeable to intravascular dopamine, and the impact of exogenous dopamine on the preterm brain remains unknown. The preterm lamb model may be suitable for studying the cerebral impact of dopamine therapy whether its BBB permeability is similar to preterm human infants.

EXPRESS study shows significant regional differences in 1-year outcome of extremely preterm infants in Sweden.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate differences in mortality up to 1 year of age in extremely preterm infants (before 27 weeks) born in seven Swedish healthcare regions.

Methods: National prospective observational study of consecutively born, extremely preterm infants in Sweden 2004-2007. Mortality was compared between regions.

Nutrient intakes independently affect growth in extremely preterm infants: results from a population-based study.

Aim: To explore associations between energy and macronutrient intakes and early growth in extremely low gestational age (ELGA) infants.

Methods: Retrospective population-based study of all ELGA infants (<27 weeks) born in Sweden during 2004-2007. Detailed data on nutrition and anthropometric measurements from birth to 70 days of postnatal age were retrieved from hospital records.

Neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely preterm infants at 2.5 years after active perinatal care in Sweden.

Importance: Active perinatal care increases survival of extremely preterm infants; however, improved survival might be associated with increased disability among survivors.

Objective: To determine neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely preterm children at 2.5 years (corrected age).

The effect of improved compliance with hygiene guidelines on transmission of Staphylococcus aureus to newborn infants: the Swedish Hygiene Intervention and Transmission of S aureus study.

Background: Newborn infants are often colonized with Staphylococcus aureus originating from health care workers (HCWs). We therefore use colonization with S aureus of newborn infants to determine the effect of an improved compliance with hygiene guidelines on bacterial transmission.

Methods: Compliance with hygiene guidelines was monitored prior to (baseline) and after (follow-up) a multimodal hygiene intervention in 4 departments of obstetrics and gynecology.

Time of initiation of skin-to-skin contact in extremely preterm infants in Sweden.

Aim: To describe the time of first skin-to-skin contact in extremely preterm infants in a national perspective and to investigate possible factors affecting the time of first skin-to-skin contact.

Methods: A population-based prospective descriptive study of extremely preterm infants (n = 520) in seven regional hospitals in Sweden.

Results: Extremely preterm infants in Sweden experience first skin-to-skin contact with the parent at a median of six postnatal days (range 0-44).

Maternal body composition in relation to infant birth weight and subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Infant birth weight has increased recently, representing an obstetric and potentially a public health problem since high birth weight involves a risk of obesity later in life. Maternal nutritional status is important for fetal growth and therefore relationships between maternal body weight and composition v. birth weight and infant subcutaneous adipose tissue were investigated in twenty-three healthy women and their newborn infants using multiple and simple linear regression analysis.

Assessment of total body fat using the skinfold technique in full-term and preterm infants.

Background: Assessment of body composition may be of interest when the nutritional status of infants is evaluated but is often difficult since simple and valid methods are lacking. With appropriate validation, measurements based on skinfold thickness (SFT) may be useful for this purpose.

Aims: To evaluate the potential of a published method, based on measurements of SFT, to assess total body fat (TBF) of infants; and to calculate the fat content of adipose tissue (AT) in infants using previously published information regarding AT volume and total body water.

Studies on human body composition during the first 4 months of life using magnetic resonance imaging and isotope dilution.

Assessing body composition during infancy requires data for the so-called reference infant. Currently available data for this purpose need to be updated and extended using methods based on principles different from those used previously to define the reference infant. Thus, magnetic resonance imaging was applied to full-term healthy boys (n = 25) and girls (n = 21), 4-131 d old, to estimate adipose tissue volume (ATV) and the amounts of s.