Osteopenia of Prematurity and its Maternal and Nutritional Related Factors among Preterm Infants Admitted in NICU Department of Afzalipour Medical Center

Osteopenia is a relatively common disorder in premature infants. If this disease is not diagnosed and treated timely, it would be impaired growth in infancy. Present study was performed for assessment relationship between osteopenia and neonatal/maternal factors among premature neonates that hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit of Afzalipour Medical Center. Present cross-sectional study was performed on 100 premature infants, who were admitted to the NICU of Afzalipour Medical Center in Kerman during 2017-2018. Alkaline phosphatase a screening criterion for osteopenia was measured in infants aged one month and its relation with factors such as birth weight, weight gaining, duration of hospitalization, duration of intravenous feeding, type of nutrition, volume of formula and food supplement consumption were evaluated. Of the total 100 preterm babies, based on the criterion utilized for diagnosis of osteopenia (alkaline phosphatase above 900 units/L), 41 infants had osteopenia of prematurity Prevalence of osteopenia was 41%. Infants who used breastmilk alone has mostly osteopenia of prematurity. Prevalence of osteopenia was higher among girls in compare with boys. Mean length of hospitalization, Total parenteral nutrition venous feeding in neonates with osteopenia were higher among in compare with other neonates. Mean of maternal serum level of vitamin D in mothers of premature neonates with osteopenia was significantly lower in compare with others. Infants that intake exclusively breast milk was more vulnerable to osteopenia, and supplement should be considered in these infants.