PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R W I Cooke
TI  - Perinatal and postnatal factors in very preterm infants and subsequent cognitive and motor abilities
AID  - 10.1136/adc.2004.059188
DP  - 2005 Jan 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition
PG  - F60--F63
VI  - 90
IP  - 1
4099  - http://fn.bmj.com/content/90/1/F60.short
4100  - http://fn.bmj.com/content/90/1/F60.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed2005 Jan 01; 90
AB  - Background: Many children born very preterm have cognitive and minor motor problems later, even if attending mainstream schools. Objective: To examine associations between this suboptimal performance and perinatal and postnatal clinical factors. Participants and methods: A geographically determined cohort of 280 infants born at less than 32 weeks gestation in 1991–92 in Liverpool, free of major disability and attending mainstream school at 7 years of age. A perinatal and postnatal data set were obtained from the clinical records retrospectively. Measurements of height, weight, and head circumference at 7 years were made, together with assessments of intelligence (Wechsler intelligence scale for children, IQ) and motor impairment (Movement assessment battery for children, MABC). Results: Multiple regression analysis showed IQ at 7 years to be independently significantly related to gestation, persistence of the arterial duct (PDA), and head circumference at 7 years. MABC was only significantly related to gestation. PDA was related to periventricular haemorrhage (OR 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3 to 5.8) and parenchymal lesions including ventriculomegaly (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.5 to 11.4). Conclusion: Cognitive ability in children born preterm is significantly related to gestation, but may also be related to the effects of PDA on early brain development, through either periventricular haemorrhage/ventriculomegaly or other disturbance of early brain growth.