No abstract

Background: In this review, we describe the growth of (very) preterm infants or (very) low-birth-weight infants from birth until adulthood. Methods: A systematic analysis of growth of these infants is thwarted by different definitions (classification by gestational age or birth weight) used in the literature. Results: The early postnatal period of these individuals is almost invariably characterized by substantial growth failure. In the majority of preterm infants this is followed by a period of catch-up growth, which starts in early infancy and usually stops at 2–3 years of age, although in some cases it may continue into adolescence. Catch-up growth is usually incomplete, so that infants born preterm remain shorter and lighter than term-born peers during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Disproportionate catch-up growth in height and weight may lead to an altered body composition in adulthood, especially in females. Conclusion: Though early catch-up growth has shown to be beneficial for neurodevelopmental outcome, it is also associated with adverse metabolic consequences in adulthood. As the first generation of (very) preterm infants is now reaching young adulthood, future follow-up studies on these effects are warranted.

No abstract

No abstract

The use of (costly) growth hormone (GH) treatment in short children is often justified by the assumption that short stature considerably reduces quality of life in adults. We tested this assumption in 5 groups of short adults: 25 patients with isolated GH deficiency; 17 male patients with childhood onset renal failure; 25 women with Turner syndrome and 26 patients who were presented as a child to a paediatrician for idiopathic short stature. A group of 44 short individuals with presumably idiopathic short stature, who had not been presented to a paediatrician for short stature, was sampled from the general population (‘normal shorts’). We measured quality of life in terms of socio-economic variables, the Nottingham Health Profile and time trade-off. The mean height of most groups was close to the 3rd percentile. The chance of having a partner was low for all groups, except for the normal shorts. Problems with job application were only reported in Turner syndrome. The scores on the Nottingham Health Profile were all within the normal range, but GH-deficient adults had a higher score on the domain energy than normal shorts. Women with Turner syndrome, individuals with renal failure, and those with idiopathic short stature had a wish to be taller, with an estimated reduction in quality of life of 2–4% (time trade-off). As the normal shorts did not show any sign of a reduced quality of life, we falsify the assumption of a direct relation between short stature and quality of life. The complaints of patients with idiopathic short stature around the 3rd percentile seem to be the result of unsuccessful coping strategies.