TY - JOUR
T1 - Prognostic value of a scorable neurological examination from 3 to 12 months post-term age in very preterm infants
T2 - A longitudinal study
AU - Romeo, Domenico M M
AU - Cioni, Matteo
AU - Scoto, Mariacristina
AU - Pizzardi, Alessandra
AU - Romeo, Mario G.
AU - Guzzetta, Andrea
PY - 2009/6
Y1 - 2009/6
N2 - Aims and study design: The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination proved effective in predicting locomotor function in very preterm infants after 9 months of age. We performed the examination in a cohort of 103 very preterm infants (gestational age below 32 weeks) as early as 3 months' post-term age, and longitudinally at 6, 9 and 12 months. Our aim was to establish the frequency distribution of the optimality scores at each age period, to explore the predictive value of the examination from 3 months onwards as to developmental outcome and locomotor function at 2 years, and to explore its longitudinal consistency. Results: The results showed that this standardized neurological examination can be performed in preterm infants as early as 3 months' post-term age to predict motor outcome at 2 years, and that its high predictive value is consistent across the first year of life due to an effective combination of different items for each age period. Conclusions: We confirm the high predictive value of this neurological examination in very preterm infants after 9 months and extend it to the assessments performed as early as 3 months post-term. This is of great relevance as in very preterm infants early prediction of motor function is essential for a prompt planning of therapeutic interventions.
AB - Aims and study design: The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination proved effective in predicting locomotor function in very preterm infants after 9 months of age. We performed the examination in a cohort of 103 very preterm infants (gestational age below 32 weeks) as early as 3 months' post-term age, and longitudinally at 6, 9 and 12 months. Our aim was to establish the frequency distribution of the optimality scores at each age period, to explore the predictive value of the examination from 3 months onwards as to developmental outcome and locomotor function at 2 years, and to explore its longitudinal consistency. Results: The results showed that this standardized neurological examination can be performed in preterm infants as early as 3 months' post-term age to predict motor outcome at 2 years, and that its high predictive value is consistent across the first year of life due to an effective combination of different items for each age period. Conclusions: We confirm the high predictive value of this neurological examination in very preterm infants after 9 months and extend it to the assessments performed as early as 3 months post-term. This is of great relevance as in very preterm infants early prediction of motor function is essential for a prompt planning of therapeutic interventions.
KW - Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination
KW - Motor outcome
KW - Prediction
KW - Premature
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U2 - 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2009.01.004
DO - 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2009.01.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 19232846
AN - SCOPUS:67349110821
VL - 85
SP - 405
EP - 408
JO - Early Human Development
JF - Early Human Development
SN - 0378-3782
IS - 6
ER -