Introduction: This study aimed to determine the early growth patterns of preterm infants who required prolonged hospitalisation in terms of body weight Z-score, and to explore the influencing factors and predictors of their growth.
Methods: The criteria of enrolment included preterm birth, singleton pregnancy, hospitalisation within the first 24 hours of life, hospital stay ≥ 28 days and clinical follow-up beyond 91 days of corrected age. Body weight Z-scores and the incidence of underweight infants were reviewed periodically, and the influencing factors and possible predictors of growth analysed.
Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi
September 2010
Objectives: To investigate the incidence of intra- and extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) and growth restriction in premature infants, and to illustrate the growth pattern of them in postnatal and infantile period.
Methods: All premature infants were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during the recent 7 years. The criteria for enrollment were (1) gestational age < 37 weeks; (2) single fetus; (3) admitted within the first 24 hours of life; (4) hospitalization period ≥ 14 days; (5) clinical follow-up persisted till ≥ 3 months of corrected gestational age.