TY - JOUR T1 - How common are rib fractures in extremely low birth weight preterm infants? JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition JO - Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed SP - F138 LP - F139 DO - 10.1136/adc.2007.136853 VL - 94 IS - 2 AU - D Smurthwaite AU - N B Wright AU - S Russell AU - A J Emmerson AU - M Z Mughal Y1 - 2009/03/01 UR - http://fn.bmj.com/content/94/2/F138.abstract N2 - Background: This study was prompted by incidental finding of healing rib fractures on chest radiographs of ex-preterm born infants, who were admitted to hospital with acute respiratory illnesses within a few weeks of discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Rib fractures in infants, particularly those situated posteriorly, are considered to be specific for non-accidental injury (NAI).Methods: Retrospective examination of radiographs of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (⩽1000 g) with a gestation range of 22 of 33 weeks, cared for at a tertiary NICU, between 1998 and 2002, and who had survived ⩾4 weeks.Results: Five out of 72 (7%) infants studied had radiologically apparent rib fractures. None involved posterior rib shafts. All infants with rib fractures died on the NICU.Conclusions: The possibility of NAI should be considered in ex-ELBW infants found to have rib fractures. ER -