GROWTH, MATURATION AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF EXTREME LOW BIRTH WEIGHT ADOLESCENS

出生体重小于或等于1的婴儿存活率 千克（ELBW）从1974年的17%增加到1994年的75%。 现有的ELBW儿童纵向研究主要集中在 相对短期的认知和神经发育结果。 多 对ELBW儿童的长期功能状态知之甚少 在童年中期以后，很少有研究考察过成长， 性成熟与功能结果的关系。 这项研究将评估生长，性成熟和 出生时体重小于或等于 相当于1000克，并将其与正常出生体重进行比较 青少年（NBW）。 本研究的主要假设是， ELBW青少年的功能结局将显示 与NBW青少年相比。 这些差异将是 部分由ELBW的生长延迟和性成熟介导 青少年。 研究人群将包括92名儿童 没有严重的神经发育障碍（脑瘫，精神 智力低下<70，失明或耳聋）的新生儿 UAB重症监护随访计划，1978年出生 和1983年。 社会人口结构相似的比较人群 将招募正常出生体重的儿童。 所有参与者 将使用人体测量指标（例如， 在z分数）和发展的骨骼质量和组成评估 (dual能量X射线吸收测定法和骨龄）。 性成熟 将使用坦纳指南进行评估。 功能状态将是 使用全球健康状况指标进行评估，如青少年健康 Profile. 认知，行为和学术措施以及自我 图像库存也将包括在内。

Survival of infants with birth weights less than or equal to one thousand grams (ELBW) has increased from 17% in 1974 to 75% in 1994. Existing longitudinal studies of ELBW children have focused on relatively short-term cognitive and neuro-developmental outcomes. Much less is known about the long-term functional status of ELBW children beyond middle childhood and very few studies have examined growth and sexual maturation in relationship to functional outcome. This study will evaluate the growth, sexual maturation and the functional status of adolescents born with birth weights less than or equal to 1000 grams and will compare this to normal birth weight adolescents (NBW). The main hypothesis of this study is that assessment of the functional outcome of ELBW adolescents will reveal diminished capacity compared to NBW adolescents. These differences will be partially mediated by delays in growth and in sexual maturation in ELBW adolescents. The study population will include a cohort of 92 children without a major neuro-developmental disability (cerebral palsy, mental retardation IQ <70, blindness or deafness) enrolled in the neonatal intensive care follow-up program at UAB and who were born between 1978 and 1983. A comparison population of socio-demographically similar children of normal birth weight will be recruited. All participants will be assessed for growth using anthropometric measures (e.g. changes in z-scores) and development of skeletal mass and composition assessment (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and bone age). Sexual maturation will be assessed using Tanner guidelines. Functional status will be evaluated using a global health status measure such as the Teen Health Profile. Cognitive, behavioral, and academic measures as well as self image inventories will also be included.