Minor neurological dysfunction, cognitive development and somatic development at the age of 3 to 11 years in very-low-birthweight infants with transient periventricular echodensities.
OBJECTIVE
To determine, using strict exclusion criteria, whether transient periventricular echodensities (TPE) in very-low-birthweight infants lead to minor neurological dysfunction and problems in cognitive and somatic development in children without major neurological impairments.


METHODS
23 children with TPE were matched to 23 children without TPE. Exclusion criteria were small for gestational age, microcephaly at birth, diplegia, asphyxia, psychomotor retardation, intraventricular haemorrhage grade III/IV, major surgical interventions and malformations. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Draw-a-Man Test and neuropaediatric examination were used for evaluation.


RESULTS
There were no differences in demographic data, growth and socio-economic status. Significant differences with lower results in the TPE group were found in fine motor skills and in the Draw-a-Man Test. In the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, all subscales were below average in the TPE group, except the sequential processing scale. In the control group, all subscales were within the average range.


CONCLUSIONS
By using strict exclusion criteria to eliminate other risk factors for minimal neurological dysfunction and poor cognitive development, we were able to focus on the effect of TPE. TPE seem to affect cognitive development and cause minor neurological dysfunction.
Kutschera
Joerg
J
Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. joerg.kutschera@klinikum-graz.at
Tomaselli
Johanna
J
Maurer
Ute
U
Pichler
Gerhard
G
Schwantzer
Gerold
G
Urlesberger
Berndt
B
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male