Incomplete catch-up growth in low birthweight Chinese infants in Hong Kong

Abstract

Objective: To describe the early catch-up growth in length in Chinese low birthweight (<2500 g) infants. Methodology: The infants (n = 181) were delivered between 1988 and 1993 and followed up at Queen Mary and Tsan Yuk Hospitals, Hong Kong. One third had a birthweight below -2SDS, most of whom were term or close-to-term babies small-for-gestational-age (SGA). The remaining babies were appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) in birthweight, but frequently born prematurely. Results: The SGA group did not show a catch-up growth in height comparable to that reported on other recent studies, as 33-35% of the patients were still short at 6 and 12 months (7-12% for the AGA group). When comparing the postnatal mean growth curve of the SGA group with the mean curve of the AGA group there was little sign of catch-up growth. Conclusions: The results showed that Hong Kong SGA infants have an incomplete catch-up growth and for successful intervention the causative mechanisms have to be identified. | Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants have an increased risk of neonatal mortality and morbidity. That SGA infants comprise 20-25% of all short children attests to the fact that reduced fetal growth has a lifelong impact upon both development and survival. 70-90% of SGA infants, however, experience some catch-up growth during the first 6-12 months of life, but those infants who remain short by the end of the first year of life often do not experience later catch-up growth. Catch-up growth in SGA infants refers to a growth rate higher than the average rate of appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants. The authors describe the early catch-up growth in length among 181 Chinese low-birth-weight (LBW) infants delivered between 1988 and 1993, and followed up at Queen Mary and Tsan Yuk Hospitals, Hong Kong. A LBW baby weighs less than 2500 g at birth. The SGA babies in this study failed to show catch-up growth in height comparable to that reported in other recent studies; 33-35% remained short at ages 6 and 12 months. Comparing the postnatal mean growth curve of the SGA group with the mean curve of the AGA group revealed little indication of catch-up growth. Hong Kong SGA infants have an incomplete catch-up growth and for successful intervention, the causative mechanisms must be identified.