title: Growth and neurodevelopmental outcome of VLBW infants at 1 year corrected age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate growth and neurodevelopmental outcome of very low birth weight infants (VLBW) and compare with term normal birth weight infants (NBW) till 12 months corrected age.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care neonatal unit in northern India.
  
  
  METHODS
  37 VLBW infants and 35 NBW infants born between January 2007 and December 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric measurements were recorded and Z-scores were computed serially at birth, discharge, 40 weeks post menstrual age (PMA), and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of corrected age. Developmental quotient (DQ) at 12 months corrected age was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Z-scores for weight, length and head circumference (HC) at birth were -1.21(±0.92), -0.98(±1.32) and -0.70(±1.14), respectively for VLBW infants and -0.37(±0.72), -0.11(±0.96) and 0.05(±0.73) respectively for NBW infants. VLBW infants had a significant drop in all Z-scores by discharge (P<0.001). There was a catch up to birth scores by 12 month age. VLBW infants had significantly lower Z-scores for weight, length and HC at one year corrected age as compared to NBW infants (P =0.01, 0.04 and 0.001, respectively). DQ at 12 months was significantly lower in VLBW infants (91.5+7.8) than NBW infants (97.5±5.3) (P <0.001). DQ of small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) VLBW infants was comparable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VLBW infants falter in their growth during NICU stay with a catch-up later during infancy. In comparison to NBW infants, they continue to lag in their physical growth and neurodevelopment at 1 year of corrected age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Center for Child Health, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. drmanojmodi@gmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Modi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saluja
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suman
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002657:Child Development; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome