Table 2 Muscle composition.

From: Adults born preterm have lower peripheral skeletal muscle area and strength

 

Mean ± SD

Term

n = 53

Preterm

n = 55

Mean difference (95% CI)

P

Adjusted mean difference (95% CI)

P

At rest

 Muscle area, mm2

966 (219)

835 (182)

− 130 (− 207, − 53)

0.001

− 130 (− 206, − 54)*

 < 0.001

 Muscle area, mm2/BMI

36.1 (9.3)

35.3 (8.2)

− 0.7 (− 4.1, 2.5)

0.655

0.7 (− 4.1, 2.5)

0.650

 Muscle thickness, mm

19.6 (3.8)

18.1 (3.3)

− 1.5 (− 2.8, − 0.1)

0.031

− 1.5 (− 2.8, 0.1)*

0.028

 Muscle thickness, mm/BMI

0.73 (0.17)

0.76 (0.14)

0.03 (− 0.02, 0.09)

0.294

0.03 (− 0.02, 0.09)

0.293

 Shear wave elastography, m/s

2.3 (0.2)

2.4 (0.3)

0.1(− 0.0, 0.2)

0.067

0.1 (− 0.0, 0.2) + 

0.066

 Echogenicity, AU

53.5 (8.7)

56.1 (8.2)

2.6 (− 0.5, 5.9)

0.106

0.6 (− 2.5, 3.9)ƚ

0.672

Maximal contraction

 Muscle area, mm2

948 (240)

829 (207)

− 118 (− 204, − 33)

0.007

− 119 (− 202, − 35)*

0.006

 Muscle area, mm2/BMI

35.3 (9.7)

35.2 (9.6)

− 0.1 (− 3.8, 3.5)

0.922

0.1 (− 3.8, 3.4)

0.918

 Muscle thickness, mm

23.2 (4.0)

22.3 (3.7)

− 0.9 (− 2.4, 0.5)

0.223

− 0.9 (− 2.4, 0.5)*

0.218

 Muscle thickness, mm/BMI

0.87 (0.19)

0.95 (0.20)

0.08 (0.00, 0.15)

0.040

0.08 (0.03, 0.15)

0.040

 Shear wave elastography, m/s

2.7 (0.8)

3.1 (1.0)

0.4 (0.04, 0.7)

0.027

0.4 (0.0, 0.7) + 

0.026

 Echogenicity, AU

50.3 (10.9)

53.5 (9.9)

3.2 (− 0.7, 7.2)

0.111

0,4 (− 3.4, 4.2) ƚ

0.830

  1. Significant values are in bold.
  2. AU arbitrary unit. Data are expressed as mean ± SD. Muscle area (mm2) and thickness (mm) are normalized by the body mass index (BMI). Comparisons between full-term vs preterm group were done by linear regression adjusted for sex *, sex and subcutaneous tissue thickness ƚ; P values are reported in the table.
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