TOTAL-BODY BONE-DEVELOPMENT DURING EARLY-CHILDHOOD IN VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS WITHOUT CEREBRAL-PALSY AND MENTAL-RETARDATION

Total body bone mineral density was measured by dual energy X-ray abso rptiometry in 52 children who were very low birth weight (VLBW) infant s without cerebral palsy and mental retardation (postconceptional age, from 10 mo to 6y and 6mo). VLBW infants in this study seemed to show compensatory acceleration of total body bone development, catching up with the control group during early childhood. However, in VLBW infant s with at least one of the three factors such as total parenteral nutr ition for 1 week or more, assisted ventilation for week or more, or ox ygen therapy for 28 d or more in their early stage after birth, adequa te mineral supplementation might be especially important for long-term bone development.