| Abstract [eng] |
The dissertation was prepared between 2016 and 2024 at the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Anthropology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University. The doctoral dissertation is submitted for defence as a compilation of research articles and is composed of interconnected parts, each contributing to a comprehensive analysis of growth and health outcomes in preterm Lithuanian infants of different gestation and birth weight. This study aimed to evaluate the body size at birth of preterm newborns in Lithuania based on gestational age and sex, and to perform a longitudinal analysis of the physical condition, growth dynamics, and health outcomes of preterm-born children, depending on gestational age and birth weight. Initially, the birth weight and length patterns in the Lithuanian newborns by gestational age and sex were analysed, and population-based birth weight and length reference values and curves for Lithuanian newborns were constructed and compared against international standards. Subsequently, the distribution and variation of head circumference in Lithuanian newborns by gestational age and sex were analysed, population-based head circumference reference values and curves were developed for Lithuanian newborns, stratified by gestational age and sex, and compared to international standards. Following this, longitudinal growth outcomes in preterm Lithuanian infants were evaluated, with growth patterns (height, weight, body mass index) analysed across gestational age and birth weight groups until 12 years. Lastly, the dissertation examined multisystem health consequences in Lithuanian individuals born preterm, from infancy to adolescence, focusing on the influence of birth-related factors on health condition complexity and the interrelationships among different disorders. The dissertation presents clinically significant results that improve the evaluation and monitoring of the growth and health status of preterm newborns in Lithuania. |
