Midterm Neuromotor Development Results of Preterm Babies less than 34 Weeks Gestational Age

Ali Bulbul; Dilek Kabakci Kaya; Gulperi Yagar Keskin; Gulsen Kose; Lida Bulbul; Gizem Kara Elitok; Ebru Ayyildiz; Evrim Kiray Bas; Sinan Uslu

doi:10.14744/SEMB.2020.06881

Midterm Neuromotor Development Results of Preterm Babies less than 34 Weeks Gestational Age

Sisli Etfal Hastan Tip Bul. 2020 Sep 4;54(3):337-345. doi: 10.14744/SEMB.2020.06881. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Ali Bulbul¹, Dilek Kabakci Kaya¹, Gulperi Yagar Keskin¹, Gulsen Kose², Lida Bulbul³, Gizem Kara Elitok¹, Ebru Ayyildiz¹, Evrim Kiray Bas¹, Sinan Uslu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Teaching and Resarch Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
² Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Science, Istanbul, Turkey.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the neuromotor development of premature babies and to determine the risk factors affecting neuromotor development in the middle time (3 years).

Methods: All babies with ≤34 weeks gestational age and born between 2011-2014 and hospitalized in our neonatal clinic were included in this study. Prenatal, perinatal and postnatal features of the babies were recorded. Consent was obtained from the families who had an outpatient follow-up and agreed to participate in this study. Neurological examination and Denver II Developmental Screening Test (DDST-II) were applied to babies and their results were recorded. Factors affecting neurodevelopment were evaluated.

Results: Complete data for 96 of the study infant were obtained. Fifty (52.1%) of the cases were female. The mean birth weight was 1542±518 grams. The mean corrected age was 20.9±10.7 months at the time of the examination. It was found cerebral palsy in 11 babies (11.5%) with the neurological examination and developmental retardation in 15 babies (15.6%) with DDST-II. Low birth weight, a gestational period of 25-26 weeks, Apgar score at 5th minute <7 were found to be the main risk factors for cerebral palsy and abnormal DDST-II result (p<0.05). In babies with abnormal neurological examination, the frequency of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis and intraventricular hemorrhage were found to be high (p<0.05), and in babies with abnormal DDST-II results the frequency of respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and sepsis were found to be high (p<0.05).

Conclusion: In our study, abnormal neurological examination rate was found 11.5% in preterm infants with gestational age ≤34 weeks, and the rate of abnormal DDST-II was found 15.6%. The main factors affecting neuromotor development were gestational week, birth weight and 5th minute Apgar score. The frequency of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis and intraventricular hemorrhage in babies with abnormal neurological examination, and the frequency of respiratory distress, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and sepsis were found to be high in babies with abnormal DDST-II.

Keywords: Premature; morbidity; neuromotor development.