ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Growth and adrenal androgen status at 7 years in very low birth weight survivors with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia

P Korhonen, E Hyödynmaa, H-L Lenko, O Tammela

Paediatric Research Centre, Medical School, University of Tampere; Department of Paediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr O Tammela
Department of Paediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, PO Box 2000, Fin-33521 Tampere, Finland; outi.tammela{at}uta.fi

Aims: To evaluate whether 7 year old VLBW (very low birth weight, <1500 g) survivors with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) evince similar growth status and higher adrenal androgen (AA) levels than term controls, and whether AA levels are higher in VLBW children born small for gestational age (SGA) than in non-SGA cases.

Methods: Assessment of height standard deviation score (SDs), body mass index (BMI), and serum androstenedione and dehydroepiandrostenedione sulphate levels in 31 VLBW children with BPD, 33 without BPD (no-BPD group), and 33 term controls.

Results: Lower median (range) height SDs was found in BPD (-1.0 (-3.4 to 1.4) SD) and no-BPD (-0.9 (-2.9 to 2.2) SD) children than in term controls (0.3 (-1.5 to 1.9) SD). Low BMI (below 10th centile) was more common in both the BPD (18 (58%)) and no-BPD (16 (49%)) children compared to term cases (3 (9%)). The median (range) androstenedione levels tended to be higher in the BPD (0.8 (0 to 2.8) nmol/l) and no-BPD (0.8 (0 to 2.3) nmol/l) groups than in term controls (0.6 (0 to 1.8)). Higher median (range) dehydroepiandrostenedione sulphate levels were detected in the no-BPD compared to the term group (0.9 (0 to 4.1) v 0.3 (0 to 2.3) µmol/l). VLBW children born SGA had higher AA levels compared to non-SGA cases.

Conclusions: At 7 years of age, VLBW children are shorter and tend to have higher AA levels than term controls, but VLBW children with and without BPD do not differ from each other in growth or AA status. Those born SGA have higher AA levels compared to non-SGA cases. The consequences of these findings to final height and to later metabolic and vascular health remain to be determined.

Keywords: catch-up growth; small for gestational age

Abbreviations: AA, adrenal androgen; BMI, body mass index; BPD, bronchopulmonary dysplasia; DHEAS, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate; IVH, intraventricular haemorrhage; MUAC, middle upper arm circumference; O₂, oxygen; RDS, respiratory distress syndrome; SDs, standard deviation score; SES, socioeconomic status; SFT, skinfold thickness; SGA, small for gestational age; WHR, waist-to-hip ratio; VLBW, very low birth weight

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?