Neurodevelopmental risk factors in premature babies

Abstract

Introduction: risk factors that premature babies may encounter and to determine the risk factors affecting this situation in babies with neurodevelopmental retardation.Materials and Methods: In this study, between February 2009 and February 2011, the files of 107 patients (53 girls, 54 boys) which were born before 37 weeks of gestation and continued their outpatient clinic controls in Dr. Behcet Uz Pediatrics Health and Surgery Training and Research Hospital were retrospectively scanned. Neurological examination, cranial MR (magnetic resonance imaging) and Bayley test results of the cases were evaluated.Results: In cases with pathological neurological examination; convulsions (p=0.02), hyperbilirubinemia (p=0.02) and cranial MR pathology (p=0.05) were more common, the increase in head circumference and weight gain in the 4th week were less. With cranial MR pathology; week of gestation (p=0.05), 5th minute APGAR score (p=0.00), gestational diabetes (p=0.01), PDA (patent ductus arteriosus) closure treatment (p=0.02), sepsis (p=0.01), convulsion (p=0.03), anemia (p=0.01), and grade 3 and higher intracranial bleeding (p=0.00) were found to be significantly correlated. When the Bayley test is evaluated; it was determined that those who underwent mechanical ventilation, those who were administered surfactant, those who had convulsions, those with pathological neurological examination, those with EEG (electroencephalography) pathology, and those who remained in the intensive care unit had lower scores (p<0.05). In addition, with the increase in head circumference in the 2nd month, the 6th month psychomotor development index (PDI) score increased in the patients, and the 12th month PDI also increased with the increase in the APGAR score (r>0.5 and p<0.05).Conclusions: In the neurodevelopmental follow-up of premature babies, the presence of gestational diabetes, low weight gain and a reduce in head circumference growth, sepsis, anemia, and a low 5th minute APGAR score were found to be important risk factors, it is important to protect babies from these risk factors for improved neurological development.