AUTHOR=Ling Lan , Chen Ting , Zhang Xin-Hua , Pan Min-Hong , Gong Hai-Hong , Zhang Li-Na , Zhao Meng , Chen Xiao-Qing , Cui Shu-Dong , Lu Chao 

TITLE=Risk Factors for Short Stature in Children Born Small for Gestational Age at Full-Term

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2022.833606

DOI=10.3389/fped.2022.833606

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with short stature in children born small for gestational age (SGA) at full-term.
Methods: This was a retrospective study. The subjects were full-term SGA infants who were followed up until the age of 2 years. The risk factors for short stature were identified with univariate and multivariate analysis.
Results: Of 456 full-term SGA children enrolled in this study, 28 cases had short stature at 2 years of age. A significant decrease of placental perfusion was found in the short children group with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) technology, which was an advanced bi-exponential DWI model of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) (p = 0.012). Compared to non-short children born small for gestational age at full-term, the short children group underwent an incomplete catch-up growth. Mothers who suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus were more likely to have a short child born small for gestational age (p = 0.023). The morbidity of giant placental chorioangioma was higher in the short children group. The pulsatility index, resistivity index and systolic-diastolic ratio of umbilical artery were higher in the short children group than those in the non-short control (p = 0.042, 0.041 and 0.043).  Multivariate analysis demonstrated that decrease of perfusion fraction (fp) in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities, short parental height, absence of catch-up growth, were associated with a higher risk of short stature in children born small for gestational age at full-term. 
Conclusion: Risk factors for short stature in full-term SGA children at 2 years of age included decrease of perfusion fraction fp in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities and short parental height.