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Karger Publishers, Neonatology, 4(114), p. 285-293, 2018

DOI: 10.1159/000489675

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Catch-Up Growth, Rapid Weight Growth, and Continuous Growth from Birth to 6 Years of Age in Very-Preterm-Born Children

This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Breastfeeding promotes healthy growth in very-preterm-born infants (VPI), but extra nutritional supply is needed to ensure catch-up growth and brain development. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> To investigate how different types of post-discharge nutrition affect growth until 6 years of age in children born VPI. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This was a 6-year follow-up study of 281 VPI. Median gestational age (GA) was 30 + 0 weeks (range 24–32 weeks). When breastfed at discharge, they were randomized to unfortified human milk (UHM) or fortified human milk (FHM). If not breastfed at discharge, they received a preterm formula (PF). The intervention lasted until 4 months of corrected age (CA). At 6 years CA, their height and weight were measured. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 239 children participated in the follow-up. UHM-feeding compared to both PF- and FHM-feeding resulted in a slower but continuous catch-up growth until 6 years of age. Participants born small-for-GA compared to appropriate-for-GA more often demonstrated continuous catch-up growth until 6 years of age (<i>p</i> = 0.018). Rapid weight growth (a change in <i>z</i> score &#x3e; 1 SD during a short time period) was found to be most pronounced from 34 weeks post-menstrual age to 2 months CA, and especially among those fed PF (<i>p</i> = 0.002 vs. UHM, <i>p</i> = 0.07 vs. FHM). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Catch-up growth occurred mainly before discharge, regardless of the feeding group. UHM-fed infants demonstrated catch-up growth that was slower, but extended until 6 years of age. Rapid weight growth was most pronounced shortly after discharge and especially if PF-fed.