This prospective observational study aims to identify the clinical and nutritional predictors of postnatal growth failure among preterm infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Assiut University Children's Hospital.
Postnatal growth failure is a common complication among preterm infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units. This prospective cohort study will include preterm infants (gestational age less than 37 weeks) admitted to the NICU within the first 24 hours of life and hospitalized for at least 14 days. Clinical data, nutritional practices, and serial anthropometric measurements will be collected from admission until hospital discharge. Postnatal growth failure will be defined as a discharge weight below the 10th percentile for postmenstrual age according to the Fenton Growth Chart and/or a decline in weight Z-score of more than 1.0 standard deviation between birth and discharge. The study will identify independent clinical and nutritional predictors of postnatal growth failure.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
120
Occurrence of postnatal growth failure
Proportion of preterm infants who develop postnatal growth failure at hospital discharge, defined as discharge weight below the 10th percentile for postmenstrual age according to the Fenton Growth Chart, or a decline in weight-for-age Z-score of more than 1.0 standard deviation between birth and discharge.
Time frame: Up to 30 days
Growth velocity
Growth velocity expressed as grams per kilogram per day (g/kg/day) during hospitalization
Time frame: Up to 30 days
Time to achieve full enteral feeding
Number of days from birth to achievement of full enteral feeding (150 mL/kg/day).
Time frame: Up to 30 days
Duration of parenteral nutrition
Number of days of parenteral nutrition during hospitalization.
Time frame: Up to 30 days
Length of hospital stay
Duration of hospitalization in days.
Time frame: Up to 30 days
In-hospital mortality
Rate of mortality during the NICU stay.
Time frame: Up to 30 days
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