LOW BONE-MINERAL DENSITY IN SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE INFANTS - CORRELATION WITH CORD-BLOOD ZINC CONCENTRATIONS

Twenty eight term small for gestational age (SGA) infants and 18 term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants were studied prospective ly to assess bone mineral density and cord serum zinc concentrations. Growth and nutritional status were evaluated, and bone mineral density was measured by dual energy x ray densitometry of the lumbar spine. C ord serum zinc, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, vitamin D metabolite and mineral concentrations were measured. Growth, nutritional status, and bone mineral density (mean (SD) 0.223 (0.032) vs 0.277 (0.032) g hydroxyapatite/cm(2)) were significantly low in SGA infants. Bone mine ral density was linearly related to growth and nutritional measures. C ord serum zinc concentrations were in the normal range and similar in both groups (mean (SD) 13.86 (3.0) vs 13.43 (2.1) mu mol/l). It is sug gested that SGA infants may not be zinc deficient. Low bone mineral de nsity could be caused by growth and nutritional status deficiencies, t he mechanisms for which could be those that reduce nutrient substrate supply to the fetus.