Abstract
Studies of socioeconomic status and neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm neonates have not sensitively accounted for brain injury. To determine the association of brain injury and maternal education with motor and cognitive outcomes at age 4.5 years in very preterm neonates. Prospective cohort study of preterm neonates (24-32 weeks' gestation) recruited August 16, 2006, to September 9, 2013, at British Columbia Women's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada. Analysis of 4.5-year outcome was performed in 2018. At age 4.5 years, full-scale IQ assessed using the Wechsler Primary and Preschool Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition, and motor outcome by the percentile score on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition. Of 226 survivors, neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed in 170 (80 [47.1%] female). Based on the best model to assess full-scale IQ accounting for gestational age, standardized β coefficients demonstrated the effect size of maternal education (standardized β = 0.21) was similar to that of white matter injury volume (standardized β = 0.23) and intraventricular hemorrhage (standardized β = 0.23). The observed and predicted cognitive scores in preterm children born to mothers with postgraduate education did not differ in those with and without brain injury. The best-performing model to assess for motor outcome accounting for gestational age included being small for gestational age, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, white matter injury volume, and chronic lung disease. At preschool age, cognitive outcome was comparably associated with maternal education and neonatal brain injury. The association of brain injury with poorer cognition was attenuated in children born to mothers of higher education level, suggesting opportunities to promote optimal outcomes.
Highlights
While improved intensive care therapies have increased the survival of critically ill neonates, preterm birth remains a leading cause of lifelong neurodevelopmental disability globally and in North America.[1,2,3,4,5,6] While we understand much more about the association of brain injury with neurodevelopmental disability, we know far less about the role of environments and experiences in moderating these associations
Based on the best model to assess full-scale IQ accounting for gestational age, standardized β coefficients demonstrated the effect size of maternal education was similar to that of white matter injury volume and intraventricular hemorrhage
At preschool age, cognitive outcome was comparably associated with maternal education and neonatal brain injury
Summary
While improved intensive care therapies have increased the survival of critically ill neonates, preterm birth remains a leading cause of lifelong neurodevelopmental disability globally and in North America.[1,2,3,4,5,6] While we understand much more about the association of brain injury with neurodevelopmental disability, we know far less about the role of environments and experiences in moderating these associations. We examine the association of neurodevelopment with. Neurodevelopmental disabilities in preterm neonates are associated with white matter injury (WMI) and severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).[6,7] The role of experiential factors, such as SES, in mitigating or exacerbating risk for negative outcomes in preterm infants with brain injuries is incompletely understood. The neuroscience literature suggests many examples through which enriched environments can mitigate the impact of early-life brain injuries.[8,9,10,11,12]
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