Association between Fat-Free Mass and Brain Size in Extremely Preterm Infants

Abstract

Postnatal growth restriction and deficits in fat-free mass are associated with impaired neurodevelopment. The optimal body composition to support normal brain growth and development remains unclear. This study investigated the association between body composition and brain size in preterm infants. We included 118 infants born p p p = 0.002); FM Z-Score significantly correlated with lower brain size (cBPD Z-Score (rs = −0.32; p p p p p p < 0.001). Higher FFM Z-Score and lower FM Z-scores were significantly associated with larger brain size at term-equivalent age. These results indicate that early body composition might be a useful tool to evaluate and eventually optimize brain growth and neurodevelopment.

Keywords

• air displacement plethysmography
• body composition
• brain
• cerebral
• magnetic resonance imaging
• neonate