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Anthropometric indices at age 17 years of full-term neonates born short
  1. A Farfel1,2,
  2. A Afek2,3,
  3. E Derazne2,
  4. P Merlob3,4,
  5. N Linder3,4,
  6. Z Laron1,3
  1. 1
    Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Unit, Schneider Children’s Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
  2. 2
    Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps
  3. 3
    Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
  4. 4
    Department of Neonatology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
  1. Correspondence to Professor Z Laron, Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Unit, Schneider Children’s Medical Center, Petah Tikva 49202, Israel; laronz{at}clalit.org.il

Abstract

Background: Measurements at the end of puberty of neonates short for gestational age (SGA-L) are scant.

Objective: To determine the correlation between birth length and weight in neonates, with height and weight at age 17 years.

Subjects and Methods: 385 full-term neonates, measuring less than 48 cm (SGA-L) and 585 full-term neonates, measuring 48 cm or greater (adequate birth length for gestational age; AGA-L) were included. 234 SGA-L and 359 AGA-L were identified at age 17 years.

Results: Comparison of the two groups revealed that both sexes born SGA-L were also shorter at age 17 years than those born AGA-L (girls 158.9 cm (SD 7.6) vs 164.2 cm (SD 64) (p<0.001) and boys 167.3 cm (SD 8.7) vs 173.8 cm (SD 7.1) (p<0.001)). The subjects born SGA-L also weighed significantly less than those born AGA-L (p<0.001) both at birth and at age 17 years.

Conclusions: Children born SGA-L become short adults and weigh less at age 17 years than children with a normal birth length.

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2009.158386

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.

    • Ethics approval The study was approved both by the Hospital Ethical Committee and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical Corps Review Board.

    • Presented in part at the 90th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Francisco, 15–18 June 2008.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.