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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Sep;88(3):459-465.
doi: 10.1038/s41390-020-0756-2. Epub 2020 Jan 11.

Body composition and neuromotor development in the year after NICU discharge in premature infants

Dan M Cooper  1 , Gay L Girolami  2 , Brenda Kepes  3 , Annamarie Stehli  3 , Candice Taylor Lucas  3 , Fadia Haddad  3 , Frank Zalidvar  3 , Nitzan Dror  3 , Irfan Ahmad  4 , Antoine Soliman  5 , Shlomit Radom-Aizik  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Body composition and neuromotor development in the year after NICU discharge in premature infants

Dan M Cooper et al. Pediatr Res. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Hypothesis: neuromotor development correlates to body composition over the first year of life in prematurely born infants and can be influenced by enhancing motor activity.

Methods: Forty-six female and 53 male infants [27 ± 1.8 (sd) weeks] randomized to comparison or exercise group (caregiver provided 15-20 min daily of developmentally appropriate motor activities) completed the year-long study. Body composition [lean body and fat mass (LBM, FM)], growth/inflammation predictive biomarkers, and Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) were assessed.

Results: AIMS at 1 year correlated with LBM (r = 0.32, p < 0.001) in the whole cohort. However, there was no effect of the intervention. LBM increased by ~3685 g (p < 0.001)); insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was correlated with LBM (r = 0.36, p = 0.002). IL-1RA (an inflammatory biomarker) decreased (-75%, p < 0.0125). LBM and bone mineral density were significantly lower and IGF-1 higher in the females at 1 year.

Conclusions: We found an association between neuromotor development and LBM suggesting that motor activity may influence LBM. Our particular intervention was ineffective. Whether activities provided largely by caregivers to enhance motor activity in prematurely born infants can affect the interrelated (1) balance of growth and inflammation mediators, (2) neuromotor development, (3) sexual dimorphism, and/or (4) body composition early in life remains unknown.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure Statement: Dr. Girolami is a co-author of the TIMP and a partner in Infant Motor Performance Scales, LLC, publisher of the TIMP. The other authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study overview. TIMP is Test of Infant Motor Performance; AIMS is Alberta Infant Motor Scale (see text).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Consort figure
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Change in LBM as percent of total body mass in each group. LBM as percent of total body mass decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in all subgroups. BL is baseline; EOS is end of study.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Change in FM as percent of total body mass in each group. FM as percent of total body mass increased significantly (p < 0.001) in all subgroups. BL is baseline; EOS is end of study.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
The increase in IGF-1 was correlated with the increase in LBM (r = 0.36, p = 0.0019).
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
The increase in LBM was correlated with the AIMS z-score at EOS (r = 0.31, p < 0.001)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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