Neurodevelopmental follow-up results in very low birth weight premature infants and influential factors

Objective: To investigate the frequency of long-term neurodevelopmental disorders and evaluate risk factors it was aimed for growth, and developmental retardation in very low birth weight infants who were discharged from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Methods: Sixty-one preterm infants with birth weights under 1500 grams hospitalized in Neonatal intensive Care Units at Izmir Tepecik Teaching and Research Hospital between January and December 2007 were retrospectively evaluated. Demographical features, complications encountered during hospitalization and clinical risk factors affecting growth retardation were recorded. Infants were examined for growth and neurological development corrected for 18 and 24 months of age and Denver Developmental Screening Test was used for determining neurological development. Results: The main findings were as follows: 45.9% of the cases was male, the mean gestational age was 29 +/- 2.1 weeks and mean birth weight was 1205 +/- 214 grams. Risk factors that influenced the neurodevelopmental prognosis were respiratory distress syndrome (80.3%), clinical sepsis (50.8%), monitorization with mechanical ventilation (39.3%) and need for surfactant (37.7%). Denver Developmental Screening test found smaller head circumference and height of infants with growth retardation at 18., and 24. months of age relative to their peers with normal neurodevelopmental status. The rates of clinical sepsis, surfactant administration, mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and intraventricular hemorrhage were statistically significant height in very low birth weight infants with abnormal neurodevelopment corrected for 24 months of age (p<0,05). These infants also showed growth retardation both at 18 and 24 months of age (p<0,05). Conclusion: Clinical sepsis, surfactant need, monitorization with mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and severe intraventricular hemorrhage are risk factors that influence neurodevelopmental prognosis in very low birth weight preterm infants.