title: Poor postdischarge head growth is related to a 10% lower intelligence quotient in very preterm infants at the chronological age of five years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the relationship between head growth and cognitive outcome at the age of five years in preterm infants born at less than 32 weeks of gestation from 2003 to 2009, as previous research has mostly focused on outcomes in toddlers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The head circumference of 273 very preterm infants born in Tyrol, Austria, was measured at birth, discharge, the corrected ages of three, 12 and 24 months and the chronological age of five years. Suboptimal head size was defined as a head circumference of more than one standard deviation below the mean. Full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) at five years was determined using Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence, third edition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants with a suboptimal head size at the age of three months had a significantly lower median IQ than those with a normal head size (90 [20-122] versus 98 [20-138], p = 0.001) and from three months onwards they were more likely to exhibit cognitive delay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A suboptimal head size from the age of three months was consistently related to a 10% lower IQ, and this study adds further evidence that head growth failure, especially during the early postdischarge period, is related to impaired cognitive abilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics II, Neonatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Neubauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics II, Neonatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics II, Neonatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Griesmaier
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics II, Neonatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kager
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics II, Neonatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pupp-Peglow
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics II, Neonatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kiechl-Kohlendorfer
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006257:Head / Q000254:growth & development*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000523:psychology; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Head growth; Intelligence quotient; Neurodevelopment; Postnatal growth; Preterm birth