For preterm infants, patterns of growth—and increases in fat tissue, in particular—may be indicators of metabolic health and brain development. Standard assessments for these measures, however, are often not feasible for fragile preterm infants or nuanced enough to provide necessary detail. Bedside ultrasound may be the answer, according to Yale researchers.
In a study published in the journal Pediatric Research , the researchers showed that ultrasound is delicate enough to be used with very preterm infants and can reliably measure fat tissue in different body areas. "The ability to continually measure growth and fat distribution in preterm infants could guide nutritional management and provide insight into an infant's development trajectory," said Dr. Catherine Buck, lead author of the study and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine.
The study yielded data on several body composition measures across different body areas over time. While more data is needed to characterize optimal growth paths and how that growth relates to outcomes, the findings are an important step forward. "We hope that eventually, integrating ultrasound body composition measures into clinical decision making may be an essential tool in preterm infant nutritional care," said Buck.
More information: Catherine O. Buck et al, Establishing feasibility and reliability of subcutaneous fat measurements by ultrasound in very preterm infants, Pediatric Research (2024.