[en] In people and animals, low birth weight (LBW) is recognized as highly predictive of health trajectory from the neonatal period to elderly ages. Regarding the neonatal period, although LBW is recognized as a major risk factor for neonatal mortality, there does not appear to be a clear definition of 'when a birth weight should be considered low' in all species. The aim of this work was to use the scientific literature available to map the various thresholds proposed to define LBW in domestic mammals. Using a standardized methodology, a scoping review was conducted through a literature search in three different bibliographic databases. After a two-step screening of 1729 abstracts and full-text publications by two independent reviewers, eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Selected publications represented six mammalian species (rat, mouse, dog, pig, cow, and rabbit). Birth weight thresholds were identified through six different methods. In addition to the scarcity of scientific literature about the definition of LBW, this scoping review revealed the lack of standardization for the description, evaluation or the pertinence these definitions. Because the health consequences of LBW could be preventable, providing early identification of at-risk neonates, a consensus for the standardized definition of LBW is required.
Disciplines :
Veterinary medicine & animal health
Author, co-author :
Mugnier, Amélie ; NeoCare, Université de Toulouse, ENVT, Toulouse, France
Chastant, Sylvie; NeoCare, Université de Toulouse, ENVT, Toulouse, France
Lyazrhi, Faouzi; Biostatistiques, Université de Toulouse, ENVT, Toulouse, France
Saegerman, Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI) > Epidémiologie et analyse des risques appliqués aux sciences vétérinaires
Grellet, Aurélien; NeoCare, Université de Toulouse, ENVT, Toulouse, France
Language :
English
Title :
Definition of low birth weight in domestic mammals: a scoping review.
The authors would like to thank Louis Daval and Timothée Vergne for their help in the global methodology and literature searching. The authors are grateful to Royal Canin R&D (Aimargues, France) for its financial support.
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