Effect of hgH on head circumference and IQ in isolated growth hormone deficiency

Repeated testing of IQ and head circumference in 4 children with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) revealed a catch-up in both parameters in 2 patients treated at ages $\text{3}\text{3}\text{12}$ and $\text{4}\text{5}\text{12}$, but in 2 patients treated at ages $\text{9}\text{1}\text{12}$ and $\text{13}\text{5}\text{12}$, no improvement was found.     

Exclusive breastfeeding and infant growth studies: reference standards for head circumference, length and mid-arm circumference/head circumference ratio for the first 6 months of life

This paper presents the development of reference standards for head circumference (HC), length and mid-arm circumference/head circumference (MAC/HC) ratio for the evaluation of exclusively breastfed infants. A total of 219 exclusively breastfed term appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) infants were studied and analysed from 1 June 1995 to 31 May 1997 at the Neonatal Follow-up Clinic, University Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Head circumference and length measurements were recorded for the infants at each postnatal completed month. MAC/HC ratios were also computed for each infant at each completed postnatal month. There was a progressive increase in the mean measurements at the completed months with increasing postnatal age and the differences between the mean measurements of length and head circumference at the 4th and 6th completed months were significant (p < 0.001). The head circumference, length and MAC/HC ratio had significant correlations with postnatal age. The standards represent the regression lines of the anthropometric measurements and MAC/HC ratio on postnatal age with the corresponding 95 per cent confidence limits. The standards identified 95 per cent (for head circumference), 93 per cent (for length) and 94 per cent (for MAC/HC ratio) of exclusively breastfed healthy infants as having normal infant growth for age.     

深圳16887例胎龄27～42周新生儿宫内生长体重、身长、头围、胸围、顶臀长曲线

目的制定深圳新生儿宫内生长曲线,了解深圳新生儿宫内生长水平。方法采用横断面时间段整群取样调查方法,于2013年4月至2015年9月在深圳市两家医院完成了胎龄27~42周活产单胎新生儿16 887例(男9418例,女7469例)现场调查。体重、身长、头围、胸围、顶臀长5项指标曲线拟合应用Lambda Mu Sigma(LMS)法。结果制定了深圳胎龄27~42周新生儿(男、女、性别混合)三分组体重、身长、头围、胸围、顶臀长5项指标宫内生长第3~97百分位曲线。上述5项曲线男性明显高于女性。该组新生儿体重曲线形态及变化趋势与中国新生儿协作网曲线基本一致。结论该研究制定的深圳胎龄27~42周新生儿体重、身长、头围、胸围、顶臀长宫内生长百分位曲线可为新生儿科医生临床实践工作提供参考。     

Intrauterine growth curves in north Indian babies: weight, length, head circumference and ponderal index

Intrauterine growth (weight, length, head circumference, Ponderal index) was studied in 2875 consecutive live born babies. Weight, length and head circumference growth curves did not show any significant difference when compared to previous growth curves made 20 years back from this centre. Norms and curves for ponderal index are provided for the Indian babies and were comparable with figures from Western studies. However, the 90th centile values were found to be low between 32-38 weeks of gestation.     

Standard curves for mid arm circumference and mid-arm/head circumference ratio in newborns

One Thousand singleton neonates, between 28 and 44 weeks of estimated gestational age (EGA) were measured within 48 hours of their birth for upper mid-arm circumference (MAC), head circumference (HC) and birth weight (BW). Regression analysis was used to draw standard curves for MAC versus EGA and mid-arm circumference/head circumference ratio (MAC/HC) versus EGA. Correlation coefficients were 0.961 for MAC versus EGA and 0.889 for MAC/HC versus EGA (p < 0.001). MAC, MAC/HC and HC were also highly correlated with birth weight (p < 0.001). These standard curves make available a discriminating method for evaluation of intra-uterine growth and a noninvasive technique for following somatic protein status in growing preterm infants.     

Palpebral fissure length in black and Hispanic children: correlation with head circumference

Palpebral fissure length and head circumference were measured in 170 black and 170 Hispanic normal children aged 1 month to 16 years. Eye measurement values were compared with those for white children. It was found that black children have longer palpebral fissures than whites and in certain age groups, than Hispanics. A statistically significant correlation between palpebral fissure length and head circumference was established in black children.     

A new device to measure short-term growth of head circumference in newborn infants

We have developed and tested a new instrument to measure the occipitofrontal head circumference of newborn infants more accurately. The intra- and interobserver variability was determined. The results indicate that the head circumference of newborn infants can be measured with an accuracy of 1 mm.     

Infant weight-for-length is positively associated with subsequent linear growth across four different populations

Several studies have documented that length gain often lags behind weight gain during infancy and early childhood, suggesting that linear growth is partly regulated by initial body mass or fatness. To investigate this hypothesis, we analysed data from four longitudinal studies on growth of infants in the first 12 months: (1) U.S. breast-fed and formula-fed infants (n = 89); (2) breast-fed infants in Ghana (n = 190); (3) normal birthweight, breast-fed infants in Honduras (n = 108); and (4) term, low-birthweight breast-fed infants in Honduras (n = 119). The dependent variable was length gain during each 3-month interval (1- 4, 2-5, 3-6, 4-7, 5-8, 6-9, 7-10, 8-11 and 9-12 months). Three main independent variables were examined: initial weight-for-length z-score (W/L), weight change during the prior 3 months, and initial skinfold thickness. Controlling for maternal height, infant sex, and initial length-for-age z-score, length gain was positively correlated with initial W/L and prior weight change during all age intervals and with initial skinfold thickness at 3 and 4 months (r = 0.15-0.36; P < 0.01). There was no evidence of a threshold effect. These associations were evident in all four populations, in both boys and girls, and in breast-fed and formula-fed infants. The consistency of this relationship across studies supports the hypothesis that linear growth is partly regulated by initial body mass or fatness in infants.     

Antenatal corticosteroids for preterm birth: dose-dependent reduction in birthweight, length and head circumference

Aim: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of repeated courses of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) on foetal growth. Methods: We studied 94 infants exposed to 2–9 courses of ACS. Mean gestational age (GA) at first exposure was 29 and at birth 34 weeks. Exposure data were retrieved from case record files. Information on potential confounders was collected from the Swedish Medical Birth Registry. Standard deviation scores (SDS) for birthweight (BW), birthlength (BL) and head circumference (HC) were calculated and considered as outcomes. Results: GA at start of ACS did not affect outcome. BW‐SDS, BL‐SDS and HC‐SDS were ?0.21, ?0.19 and +0.25 in infants exposed to two courses, compared to ?1.01, ?1.04 and ?0.23 in infants exposed to ≥4 courses of ACS (p = 0.04–0.07). In multiple regression analyses, ≥4 courses were associated with lower BW‐SDS, BL‐SDS and HC‐SDS (p = 0.007–0.04) compared to SDS after 2–3 courses. The effects from ≥4 courses on BW and BL were comparable to reduction in birth size seen in twins and on HC to that observed after maternal smoking. Conclusions: Multiple courses of ACS are associated with a dose‐dependent decline in foetal growth, which may affect later development and health.     

Sex differences in the relationships among weight gain, subcutaneous skinfold tissue and saltatory length growth spurts in infancy

As the mechanisms controlling the amount and timing of growth saltations are not well understood, the identification of physiologic coupling in weight and length growth are important for further understanding normal growth biology. Thirty-four healthy infants (13 males, 21 females) participated in a longitudinal growth study during the first year. Weekly weights and s.c. skinfolds (limb and trunk) were analyzed in a growth event-focused study. Coincident analysis tested the null hypothesis of chance concurrence between significant weight gain and saltatory length growth spurts. Logistic regression quantified this relationship and investigated the interaction between incremental weight gain and s.c. skinfolds on length growth spurts. The null hypothesis of random coincidence between weight gain and saltatory length growth was not supported. For girls, significant weight gain and length growth were coupled during the same week and length saltations were 42% more likely during the weeks of significant weight gain, with no interaction from s.c. skinfolds. For boys, length growth saltations were coupled to both previous and concomitant weight gain but were predicted only by previous weight gain, controlling for confounders. Boys were 68% more likely to grow in length the week following significant weight gain, and initial abdominal to suprailiac skinfold ratios conferred a 4-fold increased likelihood of length growth within the week, controlling for confounders. These data generate the hypothesis that a common growth signal cascade couples growth in weight and length/height with a time delay due to sex-specific biology, reflected in a s.c. fat fold interface.     

Updated gestational age specific birth weight,crown-heel length,and head circumference of Chinese newborns

OBJECTIVE: To construct gestation specific standards of birth weight, crown-heel length, and head circumference of Chinese infants. DESIGN: A prospective cross sectional population study. METHODS: The birth weight, crown-heel length, and head circumference were prospectively measured using standard equipment in newborns delivered at 24-42 weeks gestation in the maternity units of 10 public hospitals and two private hospitals in Hong Kong. The findings were used to construct gestation specific standards of these variables. The LMS method using maximum penalised likelihood was used to perform model fitting. The results were compared with those obtained from a cohort of infants born in the same locality between 1982 and 1986. RESULTS: From October 1998 to September 2000, a total of 10 032 infants were measured, representing 9.6% of the total deliveries in Hong Kong during that period. An extra 307 infants with gestation < or = 35 weeks were recruited from October 2000 to June 2001. Each of the three variables showed a normal distribution at each gestational week. Gestation specific reference standards for each variable were constructed for male and female infants separately. Comparison with the 1982-1986 cohort showed a significant secular trend to increased birth weight. The trend was small, but significant, for crown-heel length and head circumference. CONCLUSION: These growth standards will provide useful references for the care of newborns of ethnic Chinese origin. These standards, especially that for birth weight, should be updated regularly.