Abstract
Purpose of Study: The objective of our study is to compare the pre- and post-discharge growth of infants with severe BPD enrolled in the LUMC Neonatal Home Care program to the growth after discharge of other infants with mild BPD seen at the neonatal follow-up clinic.
Design and Methods: Adequate growth velocity of premature infants is 26 to 40 grams per day at one month corrected gestational age (GA). In this prospective study, 70 infants admitted to LUMC NICU from 9/1/04 until 10/31/05 with a birth weight ≤ 1500 grams were enrolled. Infants with an O2 requirement for ≥ 28 days were selected. LUMC Home Care Program follows infants discharged home requiring O2, NG feedings, monitors or special needs. Infants requiring O2 at home were the severe BPD group, and infants without home care and on room air were the mild BPD group. While in the NICU, length, weight and head circumference were recorded weekly in nutrition rounds. After discharge, the severe BPD group had their weight and length recorded at each home visit up to 6 months corrected GA, according to the severity of their disease. The mild BPD group had data collected at the NICU Follow-Up Clinic. Feedings and average daily calories were recorded.
Results: 70 patients completed the study. 39 were in the severe BPD group, and 31 were in the mild group. The data was analyzed with the student t-test.
Conclusion: While in the NICU, the infants in the severe group had decreased weight gain compared to those with mild BPD. After discharge, the infants with severe BPD gained weight as rapidly as those in the mild group. The change in length before and after discharge was not statistically significant. Our study shows that with proper follow-up, infants with severe BPD can grow as well as infants in the same birth weight group but with milder disease.
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Hesser, J., Siegel, C., Weiss, M. et al. 34 Growth of Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dsplasia After Discharge.. Pediatr Res 60, 496 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200610000-00056
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200610000-00056
