[Medical, cognitive and affective status of four-year-old very premature babies without severe disability. A case-control study].
OBJECTIVE
To determine cognitive performances and affective development of a cohort of very premature babies at the age of 4 years.


METHODS
Longitudinal case-control study. Newborns less than 33 weeks gestation were included from 1992 to 1994 and were matched with two full-term newborns. At 4 years of age, they have been evaluated for medical status, cognitive functions with the K-ABC test and affective condition with the PSA and Conners' tests.


RESULTS
The preterm group was significantly different from the controls for: a smaller height, (P < 0.01), a lower socioeconomic level (P = 0.027), a lower nursery school level (44% versus 27,6%, P = 0.05), the incapacity to draw "a bonhomme" (55,3% versus 93%, P < 0.001), lower performances for the K-ABC and PSA tests, a pathologic Conners score (20.4% versus 2.4%, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis by logistic regression showed a similar neuropsychological results: a lower score of K-ABC (< 80, P = 0.0006, odds-ratio = 33.2), and a lower social competence score of PSA (< 45, P = 0.004, odds-ratio = 35.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Follow-up of premature babies is required, and measures to prevent or minimize cognitive and social disabilities are mandatory.
Blond
M H
MH
Unité d'information médicale et d'économie de la santé, hôpital Bretonneau, CHU de Tours, 37044 Tours cedex 1, France. mh.blond@chu-tours.fr
Castello-Herbreteau
B
B
Ajam
E
E
Lecuyer
A I
AI
Fradet
A
A
Patat
F
F
Dupin
R
R
Deletang
N
N
Laugier
J
J
Gold
F
F
Saliba
E
E
Brémond
M
M
D000339:Affect; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male