Neurodevelopment and physical measurements in infants with birthweight of 500 grams or less

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundIn infants born weighing ≤500 g, little has been studied about the association between neurodevelopmental prognosis and growth. This study aimed to evaluate the association between neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) and z‐scores of physical measurements in infants born weighing ≤500 g.MethodsA single‐center, retrospective cohort study in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit in Japan. Infants born weighing ≤500 g between 2010 and 2019 were eligible. Z‐scores in weight, length/height, and head circumference at birth, due date (or discharge), 6 and 18 months of corrected age, and 3 years of age were compared between infants with and without NDI at 3 years of age. Three infants with severe intraventricular hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia were excluded from the comparison analyses. NDI was defined as having a developmental quotient of ≤70, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, or hearing impairment.ResultsOf 22 eligible infants, the incidence of NDI at 3 years of age was 54.5%. The z‐score was significantly smaller in the NDI group (n = 10) than that in the non‐NDI group (n = 9) in head circumference at birth (median, −1.94 vs. −0.75; Z = 0.54; p = 0.020), and in height at 18 months of corrected age (median, −2.84 vs. −1.79; Z = 0.58; p = 0.013) and 3 years of age (median, −2.02 vs. −1.21; Z = 0.47; p = 0.046).ConclusionsNDI at 3 years of age was associated with a small head circumference z‐score at birth, height at 18 months of corrected age, and height at 3 years of age in infants born weighing ≤500 g.