Total body bone development during early childhood in very low birth weight infants without cerebral palsy and mental retardation

Abstract

Total body bone mineral density was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in 52 children who were very low birth weight (VLBW) infants without cerebral palsy and mental retardation (postconceptional age, from 10 mo to 6y and 6 mo). VLBW infants in this study seemed to show compensatory acceleration of total body bone development, catching up with the control group during early childhood. However, in VLBW infants with at least one of the three factors such as total parenteral nutrition for 1 week or more, assisted ventilation for I week or more, or oxygen therapy for 28d or more in their early stage after birth, adequate mineral supplementation might be especially important for long-term bone development.