Characteristics and risk factors for extrauterine growth retardation in very-low-birth-weight infants.

BACKGROUND

To investigate the characteristics and risk factors for extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) in very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs).

METHODS

The medical records of 137 VLBWIs admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between June 2015 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into EUGR (n = 92) and non-EUGR (n = 45) groups. This study collected data on demographic and clinical characteristics and analyzed the risk factors for EUGR with multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Gestational age (OR = 0.573, P < .01), SGA (OR = 3.887, P = .022), feeding intolerance (OR = 4.632, P = .002), and calories supplied by amino acids at the 7th day (OR = 0.786, P = .006) were high-risk factors for EUGR.

CONCLUSION

Feeding intolerance reduction and amino acid nutrition support should be applied to prevent delayed extrauterine growth for VLBWIs.