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Poor postnatal head growth in very preterm infants is associated with impaired neurodevelopment outcome
Author(s) -
Neubauer Vera,
Griesmaier Elke,
PehböckWalser Nicola,
PuppPeglow Ulrike,
KiechlKohlendorfer Ursula
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.12319
Subject(s) - medicine , microcephaly , bayley scales of infant development , psychomotor learning , pediatrics , gestational age , cohort , head circumference , context (archaeology) , cohort study , pregnancy , cognition , psychiatry , paleontology , genetics , biology
Aim To examine the association between neurodevelopmental outcome and head circumference (HC) in a cohort of very preterm infants and in this context to investigate the relevance of suboptimal head size. Methods Somatometric data were obtained at birth, discharge and 3, 12 and 24 months for all infants born in Tyrol <32 weeks gestational age. Growth data are presented as z scores. HC was defined as microcephaly (>2 SD below mean), suboptimal (>1 SD below mean) or normal head size (<1 SD below mean). Neurodevelopmental outcome was quantified at 12 and 24 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II. Results The percentage of infants with suboptimal head size increased until the age of 24 months and was related to adverse outcome. The association was strongest between HC at 3 months and psychomotor and mental outcome as quantified using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Conclusion Poor postnatal head growth was common in our study cohort. Both microcephaly and suboptimal head size were associated with impaired neurodevelopmental outcome. Suboptimal head size at 3 months was found to be particularly associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome.