Demographic variables of study populations
| Reference | N | Inclusion criteria | Site of recruitment | Study period | Birth weight (g) Mean (SD) | Gestational age (weeks) Mean (SD) | SDS(Birthweight) (Mean(SD))/ % IUGR* | % Antenatal Corticosteroids (any) | % Postnatal Corticosteroids | % BPD | % PDA | % any IVH | PMA at scan (weeks) Mean (SD) | MR scanner | Segmentation method |
| Blok et al, PLoS One, 201420 | 36 | GA <32 weeks | Utrecht (NL) | 2007–2009 | 1027 (47) | 27.2 (1.7) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 42% | 28% | °I–IV: 38.9% (°I: 14%, °II: 5.6%, °III: 11%, °IV: 8.3%) | 41.4 (0.8) | 1.5 T Philips Intera | Semiautomatic |
| Ekblad et al,
J Pediatr, 201030 | 209 | bw<1500 g and GA <32 weeks | Turku (FI) | 2001–2006 | 1121 (319)† | 29.0 (2.7) | −1.43 (1.61)/38% (SGA)† | N/A | 14%† | 14%† | 12.5% (missing information for 4) | °I–IV: 23.7% | ‡,† | 0.23 T Outlook GP Philips (n=126)/1.5 T Philips Gyroscan Intera (n=106) (23 scans excluded) | Manual |
| Hansen-Pupp et al, J Clin Endocrin Metab, 201122 | 51 | GA <31 weeks | Lund (SE) | 2005–2007 | 888 (288) | 26.4 (1.9) | 24% | N/A | 26% hydrocortisone | N/A | N/A | § | 40.1 (0.6) | 3 T Siemens Magnetom Allegra | Manual |
| Hansen-Pupp et al, Pediatr Res, 201323 | 49 | GA <31 weeks | Lund (SE) | 2005–2007 | 889 (290) | 26.0 (1.9) | −1.0 (1.2) | N/A | 24% hydrocortisone 31% beta-methasone | N/A | N/A | N/A | 40.1 (0.6) | 3 T Siemens Magnetom Allegra | Manual |
| Inder et al, Pediatrics, 20058 | 119 (of 129)** | bw<1500 g and GA ≤32 weeks | n=100: Christchurch (NZ), n=29: Melbourne (AU) | 1998–2000 | 1040 (272) | 27.7 (2.2) | 22% | 87% | 2% | 21% | 32% | °I–IV: 17% | 40.2 (0.3) | 1.5 T General Electric Signa System | Semiautomatic |
| Kamino et al, Pediatr Res, 201828 | 44(of 60)†† | GA <32 weeks | n=33: San Francisco (USA), n=27: Vancouver (CA) | 2010–2011 | N/A | UCSF: 28.1 (1.8) UBC: 28.5 (2) | N/A | UCSF: 100% UBC: 63% | N/A | N/A | UCSF: 48% UBC: 37% | °I–°II: UCSF: 12%, UBC: 19% °III–°IV: UCSF: 18%, UBC: 4% | 37.7 (3) | 1.5 T General Electric Signa/Siemens Avanto | Automatic |
| Moeskops et al, PLoS One, 201521 | 85 | GA <28 weeks | Utrecht (NL) | 2008–2013 | N/A | 26.6±1.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | °I: 11.8%, °II: 15.3%, °III: 5.9% | 41.1 (0.5) | 3 T Philips Achieva | Automatic |
| Parikh et al, PLoS One, 201329 | 122 | bw<1000 g | Houston (USA) | 2005–2007 | 771 (144) | 26.7 (1.9) | 25% (SGA) | 70% | 18% ‘postnatal steroids for BPD’ | 52% | 33% with PDA surgery | °I–IV: 18% | 38.5 (2.2) | 1.5 T Reliant Medical GE-LX | Semiautomatic |
| Steinhorn et al, J Pediatr, 201524 | 192 | bw<1250 g and/or GA <30 weeks | Melbourne (AU) | 2001–2003 | 956 (223) | 27.5 (1.9) | 9% | 89% | 9% | N/A | N/A | °III–IV: 4% | ‘Between 38 and 42 weeks’ | 1.5 T General Electric Signa System | Manual |
| Stiver et al, J Child Neurol, 201526 | 105 | GA <32 weeks | Toronto (CA) | 2008–2010 | N/A | 28.8 (1.8) | N/A | 69% | 6% ‘postnatal steroid exposure’ | N/A | N/A | °I/II: 19% °III/IV: 21% | 41.9 (2.0) | 1.5 T Signa Twin EXCITE3 | Semiautomatic |
| Tam et al, Sci Transl Med, 201127 | 68 (of 172)¶ | GA<33 weeks | San Francisco (USA) | 2006–2009 | N/A | 27.5 (2.1) | N/A | 90% | 22% | 51% | 50% | °I–IV: 32,4% | 39.5 (1.3) | 1.5 T General Electric Signa/Siemens Avanto | Semiautomatic |
| Thompson et al, Brain, 200725 | 202 | bw<1250 g and/or GA<30 weeks | Melbourne (AU) | 2001–2004 | 965 (239) | 27.6 (2.0) | 11% | 87% | 9% | 34% | 36% (Indomethacin administered) | °I–IV: 12% | 40.1 (1.7) | 1.5 T General Electric Signa System | Manual |
| Vasu et al, BMJ Open, 201431 | 19 (of 22)** | GA<32 weeks | London (UK) | 2007–2008 | 1260 (410) | 28.9 (2.8) | −0.13 (0.78) | N/A | N/A | 25% | 20% with pharmacological therapy | °III–IV: 5% | 40.2 (3.1) | 3 T Philips Achieva | Automatic |
N/A: Data not available in the published manuscript.
Brain volumetry was not available in all infants.
*Proportion with SDS for birth weight <-2/if marked as ‘SGA’, then proportion with birth weight <10th percentile.
†According to publication: Maunu et al. PIPARI Study Group. Ventricular dilatation in relation to outcome at 2 years of age in very preterm infants: a prospective Finnish cohort study. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2011 Jan;53(1):48–54.
‡According to personal communication with the author: MRI were performed at term (SD 5 days) in 93% of infants. The time between term age and imaging day was at most 29 days (in one infant).
§Only the percentage of ‘severe brain damage’; IVH °III and/or parenchymal haemorrhage and/or WMD was reported (12%).
¶From the original data reported by Tam et al, the infants meeting the inclusion criteria of this review were selected and analysed.
**Only the percentage of infants with hydrocortisone treatment was reported.26
††Patient characteristics were reported from the original population
bw, birth weight; GA, gestational age at birth; IVH, intraventricular haemorrhage; SGA, small for getational age; UBC, University of British Columbia; UCSF, University of California San Francisco; WMD, white matter disease.