ESPE Abstracts

Background: Antibiotics have direct effects on human gut, and infant’s intestinal microbiota is particularly vulnerable for perturbation. In mice it was shown that antibiotics increased body fat mass due to changes in composition of the intestinal microbial community. Therefore, antibiotic exposure during infancy could be associated with increase in body mass also in man.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate impact of antibiotic exposure, and its ti...

Background: The ideal pattern of postnatal growth for preterm infants is unknown. Existing preterm growth charts are based on cross-sectional birth size data, and fail to describe longitudinal growth adequately.Objective and hypotheses: We collected longitudinal growth data of healthy preterm infants and constructed growth references from birth to term equivalent age (TEA). Our aim was to describe optimal growth under contemporary neonatal care, in compa...

Background: Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are used frequently in infants with recurrent wheezing. They may have potential adverse effects as treatment of childhood asthma with ICS decreases growth velocity and adult height. ICS treatment in infancy is thought to alter linear growth only little, but however, studies on ICS use in infancy and linear growth are practically lacking.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the impact of ICS on linear growth duri...

Background: Growth charts provide excellent help to the pediatric team in identifying abnormal growth patterns. However, the evaluation is highly dependent on the skills of the clinician. A computerized automatic screening system will add quality and patient safety in finding children with disorders affecting growth. Such screening system has been developed and tested in Finland and resulted in earlier detection of growth disorders1-3.Aim: To ...

Background: There is limited knowledge about the natural history of growth in patients with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI). The disease itself, as well as its treatment methods with common long-term sequalae in terms of pancreatic endocrine and exocrine dysfunction have the potential to affect growth. We investigated longitudinal height growth of CHI patients in a large Finnish cohort.Materials and methods: In this cro...