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Growth and neurodevelopment outcome in symmetric versus asymmetric small for gestational age term infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 36, pages 670–675 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

Few studies compared growth and neurodevelopment outcome between asymmetric (aSYM) and symmetric (SYM) small for gestational age (SGA) term infants. We aimed at evaluating their respective outcome at 9 months postnatal age.

Study Design:

A cohort study including infants born in 2010 to 2011 with a birth weight <5th centile and a head circumference (HC) below (SYM) or above (aSYM) the 5th centile. Catch-up growth was defined as weight, height and HC ⩾−2 s.d. of World Health Organization reference values. Neurodevelopment was evaluated with Brunet–Lezine test items.

Result:

Of 6586 infants, 194 were SGA: 38.7% SYM and 61.3% aSYM. The aSYM group showed better catch-up growth (85% versus 70%, P=0.03) with larger HC (44.9±1.6 versus 43.7±1.2 cm, P<0.0001). No difference in neurodevelopmental screening was observed between SGA groups, but infants without any catch-up growth were at higher risk of delayed outcome.

Conclusion:

Term SGA infants must be closely followed, regardless of their characteristics, to improve their outcome.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr MC Colombo from the Maternal and Child Protection Department of Meurthe-et-Moselle for assistance in the recovery of 9-month follow-up files.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Maternité Régionale, CHRU Nancy, Nancy, France

    E Maciejewski, I Hamon & J-M Hascoet

  2. Universite de Lorraine, Faculté de Médecine de Nancy, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    I Hamon & J-M Hascoet

  3. Department of Medical Information, CHRU Nancy, Nancy, France

    J Fresson

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  1. E Maciejewski
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Correspondence to E Maciejewski.

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Maciejewski, E., Hamon, I., Fresson, J. et al. Growth and neurodevelopment outcome in symmetric versus asymmetric small for gestational age term infants. J Perinatol 36, 670–675 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2016.48

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