[Effect of prematurity on fat mass distribution and blood pressure at prepubertal age: a follow-up study]. / Effetto della prematurità sulla distribuzione della massa grassa e sulla pressione arteriosa in età prepubere: studio di follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: Preterm infants may develop altered adiposity, a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. The aim was to evaluate if body composition and blood pressure were altered in a cohort of children born preterm followed up to prepubertal age. METHODS: Observational, longitudinal, explorative study. Forty children born preterm underwent growth and body composition assessment by an air displacement plethysmography system at term c.a. and at 5 years. BMI, skinfold thicknesses and blood pressure were further measured at 5 years. Inclusion criteria were birth weight <1500 g and gestational age <32 weeks. Exclusion criteria were congenital/chromosomal or surgical diseases. Forty-three healthy children born at term were the reference group. RESULTS: At term c.a. preterm children were lighter (2455 +/- 484 g vs 3247 +/- 345 g; p<0.001) and shorter (45.6 +/- 3.4 cm vs 49.1 +/- 2.3 cm; p<0.001) than children born at term and their fat mass was higher (14.8% vs 8.6%; p=0.02). At 5 years of life, weight and height of children born preterm were lower than those of their counterpart (18.328 +/- 3.01 vs 20.302 +/- 3.01 g; p=0.008 and 109.7 +/- 6.5 vs 112.7 +/- 4.3 cm; p=0.02, respectively). No difference in percentage of fat mass was detected. Abdominal, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds (mm) were larger in the preterm group (6.9 +/- 3.6 vs 5.3 +/- 2.8, p=0.002; 6.5 +/- 2.8 vs 5.0 +/- 1.6, p=0,01 and 11.8 +/- 4.3 vs 9.3 +/- 3.8, p=0,01, respectively). Diastolic pressure (mmHg) was higher in the preterm group (62.2 vs 57.5, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: At prepubertal age children born preterm tend towards a greater truncal adiposity and increased values of diastolic pressure which might have adverse consequences for later health.

[Growth and body composition changes in late preterm infants in the first months of life]. / Crescita e composizione corporea di neonati late-preterm nei primi mesi di vita.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare growth and body composition of late preterm infants to that of extremely preterm and full-term infants. METHODS: Observational longitudinal study. Forty-nine late preterm infants and 63 extremely preterm infants were included in the study. Forty healthy, full-term, breast-fed infants were enrolled as a reference group. Anthropometric parameters and body composition by an air displacement plethysmography system were assessed at 36th week, at term, at 1 and 3 months of corrected age in all groups. Late preterm infants were also assessed on the fifth day of life. RESULTS: Late preterm infants showed higher weight, length and head circumference values than those of very low birth weight infants but lower fat mass values on the fifth day of life and at 36th week of corrected age. However, at 3 months of corrected age, percentage of fat mass in late preterm infants reached values comparable with those of very low birth weight infants, probably because of the fast catch-up fat recorded between the fifth day of life and term corrected age. Moreover, percentage of fat mass in the first month of corrected age in preterm infants was higher as compared with full-term infants. This difference was no longer found at 3 months of corrected age. CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are needed to investigate whether this rapid increase in fat mass may modulate the risk of chronic diseases.

[Prevalence and duration of breastfeeding during the first six months of life: factors affecting an early cessation]. / Prevalenza e durata dell'allattamento al seno nei primi sei mesi di vita e fattori che influenzano.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the mean duration, prevalence and reasons that lead to an early cessation of breastfeeding in a group of healthy term infants in the first six months of life. METHODS: Prospective, observational study. One-hundred Caucasian, non smoking mothers, that intended to breastfeed for at least 12 weeks, were enrolled. Information on anthropometric parameters, type of delivery, socio-demographic characteristics, mode of feeding and reasons for stopping breastfeeding have been obtained through three different questionnaires (submitted at enrollment, on the 7th day, at 1, 2, 3 and 6 months). RESULTS: Exclusive breastfeeding gradually decreased from the 7th day to the 6th month of life. Most of the mothers stopped breastfeeding during the first month and a half or after 3 months and a half. Two percent of the mothers stopped on the 7th day whereas at 6 months the percentage of cessation was 14%. The cumulative percentage of interruption at 6th month was 45%. Maternal factors, like sore nipples or delayed onset of lactation, were the most frequent reasons that led to an early cessation, while during the following months inadequate breast milk and latch-on problems were predominant. On the other hand, attending a pre-natal course or having a previous successful breastfeeding experience were significantly associated with a long-lasting breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Promotion of breastfeeding during the prenatal course and a better support for lactation management during the first months seem to be the areas where more efforts are needed to implement breastfeeding rates.