title: Relationship between neurological assessments of preterm infants in the first 2 years and cognitive outcome at school age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of cognitive disability in preterm infants is higher than in general population. The Amiel-Tison neurological assessment could be a useful tool for early identification of preterm children at risk of cognitive disability in school age. This study investigated the value of categorization of neurological signs assessed by the Amiel-Tison neurological assessment in the first 2 years of life in relation to cognitive performance at school age in a group of preterm children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm children with gestational age from 23 to 36 weeks were included in the prospective study. From the initial group of 45 children, in whom the Amiel-Tison neurological assessment was performed at term age, at 3 months corrected age, and at 2 years, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-third edition was performed in 39 children after school entry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Full scale IQ, Verbal IQ, and Performance IQ of the whole group of preterm children were not significantly different from the normative data; most of the children had IQ scores in the normal range (≥85). The mean cognitive results of children decreased as the number of neurological signs increased. There was a significant correlation between the categories of neurological signs at 2 years and later cognitive results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The grade of severity of neurological signs at 2 years was associated with the cognitive results at school age. The categorization of neurological signs according to the Amiel-Tison neurological assessment in preterm children might have prognostic value for cognitive outcome at school age.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatrics, Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kodric
authors.affiliation: Developmental Department, Health Centre, Domzale, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Breda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sustersic
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatrics, Department of Neonatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: darja.paro@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Darja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paro-Panjan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Amiel-Tison neurological assessment; cognitive; outcome; preterm