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Risk Factors for Adverse Neurodevelopment in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants with Normal Neonatal Cranial Ultrasound

Journal of Perinatology volume 25, pages 210–215 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To determine risk factors associated with adverse developmental outcome at 5 years in extremely low birth weight infants or extremely premature infants (<28 weeks) with normal neonatal cranial ultrasounds.

DESIGN/METHODS:

Data were collected prospectively on 152 infants with gestation <28 weeks or birth-weight <1000 g. Infants were grouped into those with normal development, mild-to-moderate impairment (IQ 70 to 84, or hearing loss 30 to 89 dB, visual acuity 6/18 to 6/60, or mild/moderate cerebral palsy (CP)) and severe impairment (IQ <70, hearing loss ≥90 dB, visual acuity <6/60, or severe CP).

RESULTS:

Five-year outcomes were available for 144/152 children (95%). In all, 89 (62%) infants had normal development, 39 (27%) had mild–moderate impairment and 16 (11%) had severe impairment. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, factors associated with developmental impairment were serum bilirubin ≥200 μmol/l (odds ratio (OR) – 4.06, p=0.003) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (OR–1.6, p=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS:

A serum bilirubin ≥200 μmol/l and presence of ROP are postnatal risk factors associated with an adverse developmental outcome in infants with normal cranial ultrasounds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatal Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney

    Venkatesh Sampath MBBS, MRCPCh, Jennifer Bowen MBBS, FRACP & Frances Gibson PhD

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  1. Venkatesh Sampath MBBS, MRCPCh
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  2. Jennifer Bowen MBBS, FRACP
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  3. Frances Gibson PhD
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Sampath, V., Bowen, J. & Gibson, F. Risk Factors for Adverse Neurodevelopment in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants with Normal Neonatal Cranial Ultrasound. J Perinatol 25, 210–215 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211228

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