Early postnatal weight loss does not affect the 2-year neurodevelopment in preterm infants of less than 32 weeks

Abstract

Aim: It is still unclear if the magnitude of early postnatal weight loss (PWL) could be associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. We studied the association between PWL and neurodevelopment at 2-year corrected age in preterm infants.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of preterm infants with a gestational age between 24 + 0 and 31 + 6 weeks/days, admitted at the G.Salesi Children's Hospital, Ancona, Italy, between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2019. Infants with PWL greater than or equal to 10% (PWL ≥ 10%) were compared with those with PWL of less than 10% (PWL < 10%). A matched cohort analysis was also performed using gestational age and birth weight as matching variables.

Results: We analysed 812 infants: 471 (58%) PWL ≥ 10% and 341 (42%) PWL < 10%. A subgroup of 247 PWL ≥ 10% was closely match-paired with 247 PWL < 10% infants. There were no differences in amino acid and energy intakes from birth to day 14 of life and from birth to 36 weeks. Although at 36 weeks, body weight and total length were lower in PWL ≥ 10% than PWL < 10%, anthropometry and neurodevelopment at 2 years were similar between groups.

Conclusion: Given similar amino acid and energy intakes on PWL ≥ 10% and PWL < 10% preterm infants of less than 32 + 0 weeks/days, PWL does not affect 2-year neurodevelopment.

Keywords: extremely preterm; neurodevelopment; postnatal weight loss; preterm infant; very preterm.