| Summary: | To examine bone mineral density in extremely low birth weight infants at discharge and investigate whether serial measurements of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and phosphate can predict bone mineralization.
Methods: The individuals were 70 preterm infants. Serum calcium, phosphate, and ALP were measured at weekly intervals during admission in extremely low birth weight infants (mean gestational age, 25.3±2.1 weeks; birth weight, 812.8±141.1 g). Bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) of the lumbar spine was prospectively evaluated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at discharge (n=70).
Results: BMAD was classified as poor (< 25th percentile) at < 0.014 g/cm3, fair (25th–75th percentile) at < 0.014–0.021 g/cm3, and good (> 75th percentile) at > 0.021 g/cm3, based on the distribution of BMAD values in infants with noncomplicated courses of prematurity (n=43). In a further multivariate analysis, the number of total parenteral nutrition days, phosphate at 2 postnatal weeks and 3 postnatal weeks, and ALP at 4 postnatal weeks and 5 postnatal weeks had an impact on bone mineral density at the lumbar spine, independent of gestational age and body weight. Peak ALP activities exceeding 650 IU/L revealed low bone mineral density with 80% sensitivity and 64% specificity (AUC, 0.70; p=0.005).
Conclusion: Serial measurements of serum ALP and phosphate are associated with decreased bone mineralization by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at discharge in extremely low birth weight infants.
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