Growth Trajectories of Children Born Preterm and Full-Term With Low Birth Weight to Preschool Ages: A Nationwide Study
Authors' conclusion
The FT-LBW group was consistently shorter and lighter throughout the preschool period than the PT group, highlighting the significance of growth monitoring in high-risk populations.
Study context
- Population
- Infants who underwent the first 3 rounds (4–6, 9–12, and 18–24 months) of the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC); growth followed from birth to preschool ages
- Participants
- 1,150,508 infants
- Exposure
- Preterm (PT) and full-term with low birth weight (FT-LBW) vs FT children
- PTn = 41,454
- FT-LBWn = 38,250
- Outcome
- Growth outcomes (Z-scores): short stature (height Z-score < −2 SDS) and FTT (body mass index (BMI) Z-score < −2 SDS)
- Follow-up
- Ages 2, 4, and 6 years
Methodological detailsNational Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC) database, Generalized estimating equation and Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis
- National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC) database
- Generalized estimating equation and Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Short stature (height Z-score < −2 SDS) incidence · age 4 years
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
FTT (BMI Z-score < −2 SDS) incidence · age 4 years
Median birth weight
| Outcome | β estimate (SDS) |
|---|---|
| Height outcome (β estimate)PT vs FT | −0.326 |
| Height outcome (β estimate)FT-LBW vs FT | −0.456 |
Original publication
Growth Trajectories of Children Born Preterm and Full-Term With Low Birth Weight to Preschool Ages: A Nationwide Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 2 April 2024. doi:10.
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