The Impact of Estimated Energy and Protein Balances on Extrauterine Growth in Preterm Infants.

Background: Nutritional support of preterm infants remains a field of debate in the literature and clinical practice varies significantly. Adequate nutrition should promote growth and aim for optimal later neurodevelopment. However, it is often impaired by prematurity-associated morbidity and the physiologic immaturity of preterm infants.

The Prevalence of Small for Gestational Age and Extrauterine Growth Restriction among Extremely and Very Preterm Neonates, Using Different Growth Curves, and Its Association with Clinical and Nutritional Factors.

Monitoring the growth of neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) using growth charts constitutes an essential part of preterm infant care. Preterm infants are at increased risk for extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) due to increased energy needs and clinical complications. This retrospective study compares the prevalence of small for gestational age (SGA) at birth and EUGR at discharge in extremely and very preterm neonates hospitalized in the NICU of a tertiary hospital in Greece, using different growth curves, and it examines the associated nutritional and clinical factors.