Divergent neurodevelopmental profiles of very-low-birth-weight infants

Reina Ogata, Kyoko Watanabe, Pin Fee Chong, Jun Okamoto, Yoshihiro Sakemi, Toshinori Nakashima, Takuro Ohno, Hiroyuki Nomiyama, Yuri Sonoda, Yuko Ichimiya, Hirosuke Inoue, Masayuki Ochiai, Hironori Yamashita, Yasunari Sakai, Shouichi Ohga

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Advanced perinatal medicine has decreased the mortality rate of preterm infants. Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) remain to be investigated. Methods: Participants were 124 VLBWIs who had in-hospital birth from 2007 to 2015. Perinatal information, developmental or intelligence quotient (DQ/IQ), and neurological comorbidities at ages 3 and 6 years were analyzed. Results: Fifty-eight (47%) VLBWIs received neurodevelopmental assessments at ages 3 and 6 years. Among them, 15 (26%) showed DQ/IQ <75 at age 6 years. From age 3 to 6 years, 21 (36%) patients showed a decrease (≤–10), while 5 (9%) showed an increase (≥+10) in DQ/IQ scores. Eight (17%) with autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ASD/ADHD) showed split courses of DQ/IQ, including two with ≤–10 and one with +31 to their scores. On the other hand, all 7 VLBWIs with cerebral palsy showed DQ ≤35 at these ages. Magnetic resonance imaging detected severe brain lesions in 7 (47%) of those with DQ <75 and 1 (18%) with ASD/ADHD. Conclusions: VLBWIs show a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental outcomes after 6 years. These divergent profiles also indicate that different risks contribute to the development of ASD/ADHD from those of cerebral palsy and epilepsy in VLBWIs. Impact: Very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) show divergent neurodevelopmental outcomes from age 3 to 6 years.A deep longitudinal study depicts the dynamic change in neurodevelopmental profiles of VLBWIs from age 3 to 6 years.Perinatal brain injury is associated with developmental delay, cerebral palsy and epilepsy, but not with ASD or ADHD at age 6 years.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)233-240
Number of pages8
JournalPediatric Research
Volume95
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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