Catch-up growth during childhood among very low-birth-weight children

M. Hack, B. Weissman and E. Borawski-Clark
Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

OBJECTIVES: To examine growth attainment and correlates of catch-up growth at 8 years of age in a cohort of very low-birth-weight (VLBW) children (< 1500 g), including appropriate and small-for-gestational-age children, and to compare their growth with normal-birth-weight (NBW) children. DESIGN: Eight-year longitudinal follow-up of a cohort of VLBW children. A geographically based, randomly selected sample of NBW children was recruited at 8 years of age. SETTING: Tertiary perinatal center. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred forty-nine VLBW children born between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1979 (78% of survivors), of whom 199 were born appropriate for gestational age and 50 were small for gestational age (< -2 SD). The NBW population included 363 children. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: For the VLBW population, rates of subnormal weight (below the third percentile) and height were obtained at birth, at 40 weeks (term), and at 8 and 20 months. For the VLBW and NBW populations, mean weight, height, and percentile distribution at 8 years were derived from the National Center for Health Statistics standards. RESULTS: Catch-up growth to above the third percentile occurred between 40 weeks and 8 months, 8 and 20 months, and up to 8 years of age among the VLBW children. At 40 weeks, 54% were subnormal in weight and 60% were subnormal in height; at 8 months, 33% and 22%, respectively, and at 8 years, 8% were subnormal in weight and height. Small-for-gestational-age children had lower rates of catch-up growth. Multivariate analyses disclosed maternal height, race, birth weight, and neurologic abnormality to predict percentile distribution of height; and maternal height, small for gestational age, and neurologic abnormality to predict subnormal height. CONCLUSIONS: Catch-up growth occurs during childhood among VLBW children. These results have implications when counseling parents about the potential growth attainment of their children.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Growth of Very Low Birth Weight Infants at 12 Months Corrected Age in Southern Brazil
Oliveira et al.
J Trop Pediatr 2008;54:36-42.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Comparison of Current Health, Functional Limitations, and Health Care Use of Young Adults Who Were Born With Extremely Low Birth Weight and Normal Birth Weight
Saigal et al.
Pediatrics 2007;119:e562-e573.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Posthospital discharge feeding for preterm infants: effects of standard compared with enriched milk formula on growth, bone mass, and body composition
Koo and Hockman
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2006;84:1357-1364.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Growth in 10- to 12-Year-Old Children Born at 23 to 25 Weeks' Gestation in the 1990s: A Swedish National Prospective Follow-up Study
Farooqi et al.
Pediatrics 2006;118:e1452-e1465.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Impact of Prenatal and/or Postnatal Growth Problems in Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants on School-Age Outcomes: An 8-Year Longitudinal Evaluation
Casey et al.
Pediatrics 2006;118:1078-1086.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Outcome of extreme prematurity: as information increases so do the dilemmas.
Watts and Saigal
Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2006;91:F221-F225.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prematurity and reduced body fatness at 8-12 y of age
Fewtrell et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2004;80:436-440.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Neurocognitive outcome after very preterm birth
Marlow
Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2004;89:F224-F228.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The EPICure study: growth and associated problems in children born at 25 weeks of gestational age or less
Wood et al.
Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2003;88:F492-500.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Statement on the Care of the Child with Chronic Lung Disease of Infancy and Childhood
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2003;168:356-396.
FULL TEXT  

Growth of Very Low Birth Weight Infants to Age 20 Years
Hack et al.
Pediatrics 2003;112:e30-38.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Outcomes in Young Adulthood for Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants
Hack et al.
NEJM 2002;346:149-157.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Physical Growth and Current Health Status of Infants Who Were of Extremely Low Birth Weight and Controls at Adolescence
Saigal et al.
Pediatrics 2001;108:407-415.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Growth of Preterm Infants Fed Nutrient-Enriched or Term Formula After Hospital Discharge
Carver et al.
Pediatrics 2001;107:683-689.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Very Low Birth Weight and Growth Into Adolescence
Ford et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000;154:778-784.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Birth Weight Versus Childhood Growth as Determinants of Adult Blood Pressure
Falkner et al.
Hypertension 1998;31:145-150.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT