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Purpose To evaluate ophthalmological findings in preschool children born moderate-to- late preterm (MLP) and relate the findings to auxological data at birth and at 5.5 years of age. Methods Seventy-eight MLP children [gestational age (GA) 32-36 weeks; 34 girls; mean age 5.7 years] were investigated. Gestational age, weight, length and head circumference at birth and at the time of assessment were registered. Visual acuity (VA), refraction, orthoptic evaluation, slit-lamp examination and ophthalmoscopy were conducted, and a history of visuoperceptual problems was recorded. The data were compared with age- and sex-matched controls born full term ( n = 35). Results Ophthalmological abnormalities were noted in 82% of MLP children and 47% of controls (p = 0.0004). There was a significant difference with regard to impaired motility (p = 0.03), heterophoria at distance (p = 0.006) and refraction expressed as spherical equivalent dioptre (p = 0.01). Amongst auxological data at birth, birthweight (BW) was the strongest predictor to ophthalmological abnormalities (p = 0.0003). In a stepwise logistic regression, GA was the strongest predictor of VA outcome at time of assessment (p = 0.0036). Moderate-to-late preterm birth showed a 2.4-fold increased risk of refractive errors compared with full-term children (RR 2.39: 95% CI 1.10-5.20; p = 0.02). Conclusion Based on our findings, MLP birth may be associated with increased ocular morbidity compared with their full-term counterparts. Auxological data at birth, especially BW, seems to be an important factor when conducting an ophthalmological diagnosis in preschool MLP children, and an increased VA was correlated to a higher GA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There are clear sex differences in the distribution of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in adults, with males having more VAT and less SAT than females. This study assessed whether these differences between the sexes were already present in preschool children. It also evaluated which measures of body composition were most appropriate for assessing abdominal obesity in this age group. Design and Methods: One-hundred and five children (57 boys and 48 girls) participated in the study. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were also recorded. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the entire abdomen using sixteen 10-mm-thick T1-weighted slices was performed in a subgroup of 48 children (30 boys and 18 girls); SAT and VAT volumes were measured using semiautomated segmentation. Results: Boys had significantly more VAT than girls (0.17 versus 0.10 l, P < 0.001). Results showed that VAT correlated significantly with all measurements of anthropometry ( P < 0.01) after adjusting for SAT and for total fat mass measured with DXA. The mean limits of agreement between DXA and MRI regarding truncal FM were calculated to be −11.4 (range −17.8 to −3.6), using a Bland-Altman plot. Conclusion: Sex differences in adipose tissue distribution are apparent at an early age. MRI is the best method with which to study abdominal fat distribution in young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Previous studies have shown visual evoked potential (VEP) abnormalities in infants and animals born small for gestational age (SGA) compared with controls. The current exploratory study aims to investigate whether VEP abnormalities persist in older ages. Methods: Pattern VEP latencies were obtained in 21 children (11 girls, 10 boys), born SGA and moderately preterm, at an average age of 5 years and 8 months. Fifty-one children (24 girls, 27 boys, mean age of 5 years and 7 months), also born moderately preterm but with normal height and weight at birth, served as controls. Results: Visual evoked potential results showed no significant differences in latency between children born SGA and controls born appropriate for gestational age (AGA) for either binocular stimulation, right eye or left eye stimulation. Conclusions: Our findings do not indicate any differences in VEP latency at preschool age for children born SGA compared with children born AGA. The results may support previous studies, suggesting that children born SGA show accelerated neurophysiologic maturation during their first year of life and that previously delayed VEP latencies after catch-up stay unchanged compared with controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]