Figure 3. Correspondence of head circumference to gestational and
postmenstrual age in infants with very and extremely low body weight at birth,
admission to neonatology departments and discharge from the children hospital
Note. * - p<0.05
Evaluation of HC 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 (81.5% vs 70.6% infants; p>0.05), however at admission to neonatology
department the number of infants with normal HC in VLBW group decreased by 20.6%
(from 81.5% to 60.9% infants), and decreased by 38.2% in ELBW group (from 70.6%
to 32.4% infants), while HC under the 3
rd
percentile increased by 7.6% (from 6.5% to
13.1% infants) in VLBW group and by 29.4% (from 5.9% to 35.3% infants) in ELBW
group.
Thus, at admission to neonatology department of the children hospital significant
difference between VLBW and ELBW groups was found by 2 points (according to
PMA): the number of infants with normal HC (60.9% vs 32.4% infants respectively;
p=0.005) and the number of infants with severe restriction by HC (14.1% vs 35.3%
infants respectively; p=0,01).
Therefore, at admission to neonatology department a significantly higher number
of infants with VLBW had normal HC (according to PMA) and a significantly higher
number of infants with ELBW had severe restriction by HC (See Figure 3). That can
be explained by the greater need in treatment in NICU in group of infants with ELBW
before admission to neonatology department of the children hospital.
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