| Description |
Factors that affect initial weight loss and gain in infants < 1.501 grams are numerous. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine short-term, postnatal weight changes in the very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) and extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants at a university hospital. Sixty-two charts of infants admitted to the University of Utah Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit from July 1990 through November 1992 were reviewed. Data were collected on a three-part data collection tool and included demographic and treatment variables. Infants < 1,001 grams were categorized as ELBW, and infants 1,001 to 1,500 grams were categorized as VLBW. Each group was comprised of 31 infants. Fifty percent of the sample was male and 50% were female. Eighty-five percent of the samples were Anglo-American, and 15% were non-Anglo-American. There was no significant difference in the time to return to birth weight between the two groups. However, there was a significant difference in the maximum percent weight lost between the two groups, with the ELBW group losing a mean of 14.77% of birth weight and the VLBW group losing a mean of 11.35% of birth weight (t = 2.45, p < .05). Factors associated with postnatal weight changes were intraventricular hemorrhage, use of diuretics and steroids, day of maximum weight lost, and maximum percent of weight lost. Significant multicollinearity exists among many of independent variables (p < .01 to p < .001). Number of days diuretics was given before return to birth weight correlated significantly with time to return to birth weight (r = .77, F = 26.66, p < .0001). Prospective research examining the variables that may affect weight gain and loss patterns in infants < 1,501 grams in needed; thus, intervention studies could be developed to minimize postnatal weight loss and to promote growth in these infants. |
