الفهرس 
The Premature InfantOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 121 |  |  |
| | | from | 121 | | |
Abstract
Background: Metabolic bone disease (MBD) of prematurity, also called
osteopenia of prematurity is a condition characterized by reduction in bone
mineral content (osteopenia), and is caused by several nutritional and
biochemical factors. It is a problem facing low birth weight (LBW) infants less
than 1500 g. and less than 34 weeks of gestational age due to lack of fetal
mineralization during the last trimester.
Methods: A prevalence (cross-sectional) study was conducted on 60 newborn
infants of both sexes ≤ 34 weeks gestational age and < 1500 g. birth weight for
evidence of osteopenia of prematurity by wrist/knee x-ray and to assess serum
alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level as an indicator for osteopenia by serial
measurements at week 1 and week 2.
Results: 8 infants (13.3%) had evidence of osteopenia in X-ray while 52 infants
(86.7%) were non-osteopenic and all the osteopenic infants were <1000 g. birth
weight. The study also revealed that both birth weight and gestational age were
significantly inversely related to both serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level
and radiologic evidence of osteopenia with no constant value of serum alkaline
phosphatase (ALP) related to radiologic evidence of osteopenia but the optimal
cut-off point with alkaline phosphatase level 500 IU/L revealed 100% sensitivity
and 80.77% specificity.
Conclusion: The incidence of MBD of prematurity is steadily decreasing due to
improvement in nutritional management. The reliability of alkaline phosphatase
levels as the only factor to predict the status of bone mineralization and to
perform radiographic evaluation for osteopenia are still conflicting and birth
weight <1000 grams or gestational age <32 weeks are more sensitive indicators
of osteopenia.
* Key words:
Metabolic bone diseases (MBD), Osteopenia, Prematurity , Alkaline
phosphatase