Prognostic significance of spontaneous motility in very immature preterm infants under intensive care treatment.
Qualitative analysis of spontaneous motility was performed in 22 preterm infants (gestational age 25-31 weeks) on the intensive care unit. The infants were videorecorded once a week in the late afternoon during 1 h until 36 weeks of gestation. Quality of movement was analyzed by 8 observers using visual 'Gestalt perception' and compared with the neurological outcome 1 year after term. A normal quality of movement consistently predicted a normal neurological outcome with a probability of 90-100%. An abnormal quality of movement predicted an abnormal outcome with a probability of only 56% in the first, but with a probability of 82% in the third postnatal week. The average interobserver agreement was 78%. The analysis of spontaneous motility for the early diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions can reliably be applied on very immature preterms under intensive care conditions from the 3rd postnatal week on.
Albers
S
S
Department of Pediatrics, University of Münster, Germany.
Jorch
G
G
D000367:Age Factors; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D014743:Videotape Recording