title: The early postnatal nutritional intake of preterm infants affected neurodevelopmental outcomes differently in boys and girls at 24 months.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed whether increased amino acid and energy intake in preterm infants during the first week of life was associated with improved neurodevelopment at the corrected age (CA) of 24 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated preterm infants from two consecutive cohorts in 2004 (Cohort 1) and 2005 (Cohort 2) with different nutritional intakes in the Netherlands. Nutritional intake and growth were recorded until week 5 and after discharge. Neurodevelopment was determined using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development - Second Edition at a CA of 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to Cohort 1 (n = 56), Cohort 2 (n = 56) received higher nutritional intake during week 1 (p < 0.001). The weight gain in Cohort 2 was higher until week 5, especially among boys (p < 0.002). The mean Mental Developmental Index (MDI) scores did not differ, but Cohort 2 was associated with an increased chance of having an MDI ≥ 85, with an odds ratio of 6.4 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.5-27.4, among all girls with a higher protein intake (5.3, 1.2-23.3). The Psychomotor Developmental Index increased with increasing nutritional intake, especially among boys (β-coefficient 3.1, 95% CI 0.2-6.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher nutritional intake was associated with different improvements in growth and neurodevelopment in boys and girls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Subdivision of Neonatology, Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Christmann
authors.affiliation: Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Science, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.|Department of Paediatrics, Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roeleveld
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Reina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Paediatric Physical Therapy, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anjo J W M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jolanda J C M
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Reuser
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Paediatrics, Emma Children's Hospital - AMC Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: van Goudoever
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Subdivision of Neonatology, Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arno F J
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: van Heijst
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids
keywords: Gender; Growth velocity; Mental Developmental Index; Protein; Psychomotor Developmental Index