Changes in Cranial Shape and Developmental Quotient at 6 Months of Age in Preterm Infants

• Published in: Children (Basel) Vol. 10; no. 5; p. 855
• Main Authors: Nakanomori, Aya, Miyabayashi, Hiroshi, Tanaka, Yukari, Maedomari, Taishin, Mukai, Chihiro, Saito, Katsuya, Okahashi, Aya, Nagano, Nobuhiko, Morioka, Ichiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 11.05.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Asymmetry; Cesarean section; Comparative analysis; development; dolichocephaly; Gender differences; Infants (Premature); Longitudinal studies; Morphology; Multiple births; Newborn babies; Pediatrics; plagiocephaly; Premature babies; preterm infant; Scanners; Software; three-dimensional scanner; Variance analysis; Ventilators; Japan; Luxembourg; development; preterm infant; plagiocephaly; dolichocephaly; three-dimensional scanner
• ISSN: 2227-9067; 2227-9067
• DOI: 10.3390/children10050855

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in cranial shape among preterm neonates aged 1-6 months and the relationship between developmental quotient (DQ) and cranial shape at 6 months of age. Preterm infants who were hospitalized in our hospital were prospectively followed for 6 months. The cephalic index (CI) and cranial vault asymmetry index (CVAI) were evaluated at 1 (T1), 3 (T2), and 6 months (T3) of age and compared with those of the full-term infants. The relationship between CI or CVAI and DQ at T3 was analyzed using the Enjoji Scale of Infant Analytical Development. A total of 26 participants born at 34.7 ± 1.9 weeks of gestation were included. The CI increased with age (T1: 77.2%, T2: 82.9%, T3: 85.4%, < 0.01). The prevalence of dolichocephaly at T3 did not significantly differ from that in full-term infants (15.4% vs. 4.5%, = 0.08). CVAI did not significantly differ between preterm and full-term infants. The DQ showed no significant correlation with either the CI or CVAI (correlation coefficients: 0.23 for CI, -0.01; CVAI). Dolichocephaly improved over time in preterm infants and no relationship between cranial shape and development was observed in preterm infants at 6 months of age.