Neurosensory outcome and growth at three years in extremely low birthweight infants: follow-up results from the Swedish national prospective study.
A prospective national investigation comprising 633 extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants born alive in the 2-y period 1990-1992 with a birthweight of < or = 1000 g and gestational age of > or = 23 completed weeks was conducted regarding neurosensory outcome and growth. Three-hundred and sixty-two (98%) surviving ELBW infants were assessed at a median age of 36 months, using a specially designed protocol. At follow-up, mean height, weight and head circumference in both boys and girls were significantly lower than the reference values. The incidence of cerebral palsy was 7% among all children and 14%, 10% and 3% in children born at 23-24, 25-26 and > or = 27 gestational weeks, respectively. At least one obvious handicap was present in 14%, 9% and 3% of these three groups of children, respectively. After adjustment for gestational age, a significantly increased risk of handicap was found in children with intraventricular haemorrhage grade > or = 3 and/or periventricular leucomalacia and in children with retinopathy of prematurity stage > or = 3. The results show that more than 90% of ELBW children born at > or = 25 completed gestational weeks were without neurosensory handicap at 36 months of corrected age. In infants born at 23-24 weeks of gestation, both survival and long-term outcome were less favourable.
Finnström
O
O
Department of Paediatrics, University Hospitals of Linköping, Sweden.
Otterblad Olausson
P
P
Sedin
G
G
Serenius
F
F
Svenningsen
N
N
Thiringer
K
K
Tunell
R
R
Wesström
G
G
D001724:Birth Weight; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000209:etiology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013548:Sweden