title: Growth in very preterm children: Head growth after discharge is the best independent predictor for cognitive outcome.
abstract: The contribution of growth parameters to the cognitive outcome of very low birth weight (VLBW)/very preterm (VP) infants is difficult to disentangle from other preterm-birth related factors.
  
  
  
  We hypothesized that long-term cognitive and motor outcome of VLBW/VP infants is most strongly associated with growth in head circumference after hospital discharge.
  
  
  
  Single-centre prospective longitudinal study: anthropometric measures at different time points (birth, discharge, school-age).
  
  
  
  136 VLBW/VP infants (<32weeks gestation/birth weight<1.500g).
  
  
  
  Cognitive and motor function (Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children; Movement Assessment Battery for Children) at school-age (6.7-10.0years, mean=8.2).
  
  
  
  In hierarchical multiple regression analyses, growth from birth to discharge significantly predicted cognitive outcome (weight: R2change=0.063, p=0.014; length: R2change=0.078, p=0.007; HC: R2change=0.050, p=0.030), as well as weight gain (R2change=0.096, p=0.001) and head growth (R2change=0.134, p<0.001) from discharge to school-age. While most growth parameters, especially those from birth to discharge, were significantly influenced by prenatal growth and immaturity related morbidity (R2=0.151 to 0.605, all p≤0.001), head growth after discharge was not (R2=0.029, p=0.461).
  
  
  
  Amongst all anthropometric measures, head growth between discharge and school-age is the best independent predictor for cognitive outcome in VLBW/VP infants. Determinants of head growth after discharge need further studies to identify targets for intervention.
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: karen.lidzba@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lidzba
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: susanne.rodemann@freenet.de.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodemann
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Department of Neonatology, Calwerstr. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: rangmar.goelz@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Rangmar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goelz
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: ingeborg.kraegeloh-mann@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krägeloh-Mann
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: andrea.bevot@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bevot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003071:Cognition; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male
keywords: Child development; Cognitive development; Head growth; Preterm infants