Abstract
Methods: Infants: All appropriately grown extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants, who had had intra-arterial blood pressure measurements for at least half of the first week of life born between Sept 1997 and Oct 2002.The Z score of the blood pressure, for 8 hour periods in the first week were assessed. using the median and standard deviation of the gestation age groups. These Z scores could be used in different ways. The number of time periods the infant has had a Z score lower than 2SDs was counted, and whether the Z score was lower than 0 for more than half of the periods measured. Surviving infants were assessed two years after the expected date of delivery. At that motor skills, understanding and communicational skills, hearing, vision, fits, overall development, respiratory problems, diet and growth, and other problems were assessed by a senior neonatologist.
Results: A total OF 117 ELBW infants were born in the study period. 32 small for gestational age infants, three with no intra-arterial blood pressure measurements in the first week and 20 who had arterial measurements for less than half of the first week were excluded. The remaining 62 infants were included in the study (37 male (59.7%), and 25 female (40.3%). The gestation was 25.2 weeks (SD 1.28 weeks) and birthweight 756 g (SD 139.5 g). 36 infants (58.1%) received inotropes, 18 (29.0%) died, and 4 were lost to follow-up (6.4%). 40 infants were fully assessed at 2 years
No relationship could be found between mean arterial blood pressure during the first week of life and abnormal neurodevelopment.
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de Groot, S., Quinn, J., Menon, G. et al. 81 Does First Week Blood Pressure in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants Influence 2 Year Outcome. Pediatr Res 58, 368 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200508000-00110
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200508000-00110