Early physical and neurodevelopmental catch-up status of small for gestational age preterm infants / 中国小儿急救医学

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the difference of physical growth and neurodevelopmen between small for gestational age (SGA) preterm infants and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) preterm infants, and to promote follow-up management and early intervention in SGA preterm infants after discharge.Methods:Preterm infants, who were born at Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center and received regular follow-up management after discharge in high-risk infants outpatient, were enrolled in this study from January 2015 to December 2018.According to gestational age and birth weight, the participants were divided into SGA group and AGA group.Height, weight, head circumference and Gesell outcomes of infants were observed at 6 months and 12 months of corrected age.Results:A total of 144 preterm infants were included in the study, including 63 cases in SGA group and 81 cases in AGA group. Height, weight and head circumference of the SGA group at 6 months and 12 months of corrected age were all lower than the AGA group ( P<0.05). In addition, adaptability, great movement, language, personal social interaction and development quotient in the SGA group were all lower than those in the AGA group at 6 months of corrected age ( P<0.05), while fine movement was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). At 12 months of corrected age, there were no statistically significant differences in adaptability, macro motor, fine motor, language, social interaction and development quotient between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The physical growth of SGA preterm infants falls for behind that of AGA preterm infants.It is still unable for SGA preterm infants to achieve catch-up growth at 12 months of corrected age, their catch-up period may take longer, but the neurodevelopment can reach the same level of preterm AGA.The clinician should pay more attention to the follow-up management and early intervention after discharge.