A Dual-Center Study of Risk Factors for Metabolic Bone Disease in Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants

Objective: To investigate the nutritional status of premature infants with a birth weight less than 1500 g in Guangzhou and Dongguan and the related influencing factors of metabolic bone disease (MBDP) after birth. Methods: A retrospective survey was used to collect preterm births with birth weight < 1500 g and gestational age less than 37 weeks from September 1, 2020 to November 30, 2021 in Guangzhou Women’s and Children’s Medical Center and 2 hospitals in Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Clinical data of children, 45 cases of metabolic bone disease in the con-trol group and 107 cases in the normal group, including birth status, feeding status, calcium and phosphorus metabolism status during hospitalization, hospital days and body weight growth of very low birth weight infants A descriptive analysis was performed and the associated factors of MBDP were analyzed. Results: The incidence of MBDP in very low birth weight infants was 29.6% (45/152), and there was a statistically significant difference in the gender ratio between the two groups ( χ 2 = 155.592, P = 0.000). There were significant differences in the length of hospital stay and gestational age at birth (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that fewer days in hospital and older gestational age were protective factors for metabolic bone disease (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Low gestational age, long hospitalization days and male infants may be related risk factors for MBDP in very low birth weight infants.