Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Very Low Birth Weight Infants at 18-24 Months, Corrected Gestational Age in a Tertiary Health Centre: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

To determine the prevalence and risk factors for poor neurodevelopmental outcome in a cohort of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Four hundred and twenty-two infants of a total of 643 VLBW survivors from a teaching hospital in South India were followed up to assess their neurodevelopmental outcomes. Among the 422 children who completed the assessment, results of 359 children whose assessments were done between 18 and 24 months were analysed. Thirty-seven children (10.31%) had poor neurodevelopmental outcome, six children [1.67%] had cerebral palsy, one child had visual impairment and another had hearing impairment. Poor post-natal growth was independently associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.045). Neonatal complications were not associated with the developmental outcome. Despite lower rates of neonatal complications compared with Western cohorts, significant proportion of VLBW infants had poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. Poor post-natal growth was an important determinant of the developmental outcome.