Neurodevelopmental outcome at 18 months of late preterm infants

Abstract

Objective To study the neurodevelopmental outcome prospectively at 18 months of the late preterm infants. Methods Data from 7 584 live born neonates were collected between January and December.2009 in 3 hospitals located in the north of Chengdu City, Sichuan Province were collected, 89 late preterm infants were brought into study; 170 healthy full-term infants were chosen as the controls randomly.Neurodevelopment outcome was assessed by using neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA) at 40 weeks corrected gestational age, and Bayley scales of infant development was performed to obtain the physical development index(PDI)and mental development index(MDI) at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months corrected age.Neurodevelopmental outcome of late preterm infants was studied compared with that of the term infants. Results Sixty-three neonates born at the late preterm phase and 115 neonates born at the term phase were successfully followed up.The NBNA scores of the late preterm infants at 40 weeks corrected gestational age were significantly lower than those of the term infants.The proportion of the late preterm infants whose scores ≥37 was significantly lower than that of the term infants(82.5% vs 94.8%), the proportion of late preterm infants whose scores 0.05). Conclusions Neurodevelopment outcome of the late preterm infants is delayed in the first year compared with term infants.At 18 months corrected age the mental development is still delayed compared with the term infants.Measures should be taken properly to improve the neurodevelopment of the late preterm infants in the early childhood. Key words: Late preterm infant; Neurodevelopment; Neonatal behavioral neurological assessment; Bayley scales of infant development