Evaluation of BW correspondence to GA at birth and to PMA at admission to
neonatology department and discharge from the children hospital in infants with
VLBW and ELBW established that there were no significant differences between
groups at birth, however significant difference was found at admission to neonatology
department between number of infants with normal BW (according to PMA) in groups
of VLBW and ELBW infants (43.5% vs 23.5% infants respectively; p=0.04). At
discharge from the children hospital, the number of infants with normal BW was
similar in both groups, though the number of infants with severe BW restriction
(according to PMA) was significantly higher in ELBW group by 1.5 times (64.7% vs
40.2% infants respectively; p=0.01). See Figure 1.
Therefore, there were no differences between groups of infants with VLBW and
ELBW by BW at birth (appropriate to GA) but at admission to neonatology department
the number of infants with normal BW (appropriate to PMA) in VLBW group
decreased by 34.8% (i.e. by 1.8 times) and in ELBW group decreased by 47.1% (i.e.
by 3 times) that can be explained by the greater need in treatment in NICU before
admission to neonatology department in the group of infants with ELBW. The number
of ELBW infants with severe BW restriction increased additionally by 23.5% (from
41.2% to 64.7%) from admission to neonatology department to discharge from children
hospital (Figure 1).
Therefore, Figure 1 demonstrates a progressive increase in the number of infants
with severe postnatal growth restriction by BW in both groups. Thus, in VLBW group
severe restriction (BW under the 3
rd
percentile) was registered in 10.9% infants at birth,
in 27.2% infants at admission to neonatology department and in 40.2% infants at
discharge from children hospital. In ELBW group severe restriction by BW was
registered in 14.7%, 41.2% and 64.7% of infants respectively.
Evaluation of body length of infants with VLBW and ELBW from birth to
discharge. Increase of postnatal growth restriction by body length in VLBW and
ELBW groups of infants from birth to discharge from children hospital is presented in
Figure 2.
Evaluation of BL correspondence to GA at birth and to PMA at admission to
neonatology department and discharge from children hospital in infants with VLBW
and ELBW established that infants from both groups had significant difference at all
stages from birth to discharge.
At birth, infants from ELBW group had twice worse BL (according to GA) in
every subgroup: normal BL (32.4% vs 67.4% infants; p=0.0006), moderate restriction
of BL (26.5% vs 13% infants; p=0.06), severe restriction of BL (41.2% vs 19.6%
infants; p=0.02).
At admission to neonatology department, infants from ELBW had 3 times worse
BL (according to PMA) in subgroups with normal BL (17.7% vs 52.2% infants;
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