Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Premature Infants at a Tertiary Care Center in Pakistan

• Published in: Pediatric neurology Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 109 - 113
• Main Authors: Khan, Muhammad R., MD, Maheshwari, Prem K., MBBS, Shamim, Huma, MBBS, Saleem, Ali F., MBBS, MSc, Ahmed, Shakeel, MBBS, Ali, Syed R., MBBS, Ibrahim, Shahnaz H., MBBS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.08.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child Development; Cohort Studies; Developmental Disabilities - diagnosis; Developmental Disabilities - epidemiology; Developmental Disabilities - physiopathology; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature - growth & development; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal - trends; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Neurology; Pakistan - epidemiology; Pediatrics; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Tertiary Care Centers - trends; Treatment Outcome; Asia; Pakistan; Human; Premature; Infant; Nervous system diseases; Prognosis; Care
• ISSN: 0887-8994; 1873-5150
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2012.05.010

Abstract The low gestational ages and morbidities of premature neonates in neonatal intensive care units exert a significant impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes. This longitudinal cohort study assessed the neurodevelopmental status of premature neonates after discharge from neonatal intensive care units in resource-limited countries such as Pakistan. Developmental assessment involved the Denver Development Screening Test II. One hundred and ten infants discharged from our neonatal intensive care unit completed follow-up at age 6 months. Overall developmental delay was evident in 32% of infants. Birth weight and gestational age exerted significant impacts on development. The mean gestational age of developmentally normal infants was 34 weeks, whereas that of delayed infants was 30.7 weeks ( P < 0.01). The mean birth weight of developmentally normal infants was 2.17 kg vs 1.27 kg in delayed infants ( P < 0.01). Neonates who developed complications such as respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular hemorrhage, thrombocytopenia, hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, or hypothermia in neonatal intensive care units proved to be delayed at age 6 months ( P < 0.05). Prematurity and its associated complications are linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.