This significant difference between the number of infants with normal HC from
VLBW group and ELBW group persisted till discharge (60.9% vs 26.5% infants
respectively; p=0.0009). At discharge, the number of infants with moderate HC
restriction (according to PMA) was also significantly higher in ELBW group by 2.2
times (50.0% vs 22.8% infants; p=0.004). At discharge, the number of infants with
severe HC restriction (according to PMA) was not significantly higher (by 1.4 times)
in ELBW group (23.5% vs 16.3% infants; p>0.05). See Figure 3.
Therefore, Figure 3 demonstrates a progressive decrease in the number of infants
with normal HC (according to GA and PMA) in both groups from birth to discharge
from children hospital. Thus, in VLBW group normal HC was registered in 81.5%
infants at birth, in 60.9% infants at admission to neonatology department, and this value
(60.9 %) was preserved until discharge from the hospital. In ELBW group, normal HC
was registered in 70.6%, 32.4% and 26.5% infants respectively.
CONCLUSION
Postnatal growth of infants both from VLBW and ELBW groups significantly
decreased by all parameters (BW, BL, HC) from birth to discharge. The number of
infants with normal growth (according to GA and PMA) decreased by every parameter
while the number of infants with severe restriction increased.
In VLBW group, postnatal growth significantly decreased by all parameters
during NICU treatment while during neonatology department stay there were no
significant differences between admission and discharge parameters except severe BL
restriction, which additionally decreased by 1.8 times (from 22.8% to 41.3%).
Therefore, final postnatal growth at discharge in infants with VLBW was determined
by their growth during treatment in neonatal intensive care unit.
In ELBW group, the number in infants with normal BW significantly decreased
by 2.7 times during NICU treatment (from 70.6% to 26.5%). Until discharge, there was
redistribution between the subgroups with moderate and severe restriction by BW in
the direction of a significant increase by 4.4 times in the number of infants with
significant restriction by BW (from 14.7% to 64.7%).
In ELBW group, the number of infants with normal BL significantly decreased
by 2.2 times from birth to discharge (from 32.4% to 14.7%). The number of ELBW
infants with normal HC during NICU stay significantly decreased by 2.2 times (from
70.6% to 32.4%), without any significant changes until discharge from the hospital.
While the number of ELBW infants with moderate restriction of HC increased by 2.1
times (from 23.5% to 50.0%) from birth to discharge and with severe HC restriction
increased by 4 times (from 5.9% to 23.5%) from birth to discharge. It could be
explained by the fact that infants with ELBW required treatment in NICU of children
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