Former Very Preterm Infants Show Alterations in Thyroid Function at a Preschool Age
Table 1
Perinatal characteristics and characteristics at study visit in former term and very preterm infants.
Characteristic
Term group
VPI group
Sex, male/female, (%)
15 (48)/16 (52)
41 (50)/41 (50)
Perinatal characteristics
Gestational age, median (IQR) [weeks]
40 (39; 41)
30 (28; 31)
Birth weight, mean (SD) [grams]
3340 (439)
1211 (409)
Birth weight -score, mean (SD)
−0.24 (0.78)
−0.15 (0.94)
Small for gestational age at birth, (%)
2 (6.9)
9 (11.0)
Large for gestational age at birth, (%)
1 (3.2)
4 (4.9)
Maternal educational status,
5 (16)/15 (48)/11 (36)
0 (0)/47 (57)/35 (43)
unknown/<12 years/≥12 years, (%)
Smoking during pregnancy,
6 (19)/5 (16)/20 (65)
0 (0)/23 (28)/59 (72)
unknown/yes/no, (%)
Characteristics at study visit
Age at examination, mean (SD) [years]
5.5 (0.7)
5.4 (0.3)
Current BMI, median (IQR) [kg/m2]
14.8 (14.0; 15.5)
14.0 (13.6; 14.9)
Current BMI z-score, mean (SD)
−0.38 (0.84)
−0.91 (1.31)
fT3, mean (SD) [pmol/l]
6.5 (0.7)
6.8 (0.7)
fT4, mean (SD) [pmol/l]
17.0 (2.1)
16.1 (1.8)
TSH, mean (SD) [µU/ml]
2.3 (1.0)
3.0 (1.4)
BMI, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared); fT3, free triiodothyronine; fT4, free thyroxine; IQR, interquartile range; SD, standard deviation; TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone; VPI, very preterm infant; , term versus VPI group; , term versus VPI group; , term versus VPI group.