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Axonal loss and cognitive deficits in term infants with normal umbilical artery Doppler born small‐for‐gestational age
Author(s) -
Pueyo V.,
Oros D.,
Valle S.,
Tuquet H.,
Güerri N.,
Argüelles M.,
Ventura P.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1002/uog.11215
Subject(s) - medicine , small for gestational age , nerve fiber layer , gestational age , cognition , ophthalmology , wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence , optic nerve , intelligence quotient , audiology , pediatrics , wechsler intelligence scale for children , pregnancy , genetics , psychiatry , biology
Abstract Objective To assess cognitive outcomes and structural changes in the central nervous system, the latter using a novel approach to examine changes in neuronal integrity of the optic nerve, in children at 5–6½ years of age who were born small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) at term having shown normal umbilical artery (UA) Doppler. Methods We compared neuronal damage, cognitive deficits and visuospatial perception in two cohorts of infants, one born SGA ( n = 40) and one born appropriate‐for‐gestational age (AGA) ( n = 39) in weight. Neuronal damage was evaluated using optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the optic nerve. Cognitive deficits were assessed with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) test. Visuospatial perception was evaluated with Rey‐Osterreich Complex Figure (ROCF) tasks. Results Children from the SGA group had a significantly thinner average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) compared with those from the AGA group (98.2 vs 104.5 µm, P = 0.012). Children from the SGA group exhibited impaired performance in copy tasks on the ROCF (3.27 vs 3.56, P = 0.036) and a higher rate of suboptimal WPPSI test performance intelligence quotient scores (15% vs 0%; P = 0.025) compared with those from the AGA group. Conclusion Term infants with normal UA Doppler born SGA are at increased risk for cognitive deficits and axonal loss in the RNFL at the age of 5–6½ years. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.