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.