Neurodevelopmental Evaluation of Very Low Birth Weight Infants With Transient Hypothyroxinemia at Corrected Age of 18-24 Months.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To perform neurodevelopmental evaluation at 18 to 24 months’ corrected age in very low birth infants (VLBW) with transient hypothyroxinemia. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Maternity teaching hospital. Patients Premature infants who were previously evaluated for thyroid hormone values in the first weeks of life were included. Intervention Data of these infants who weighed ≤1500 g and ≤32 weeks of gestation were retrieved for the current study. Available subjects (n=56) were evaluated for neurodevelopmental status at 18 to 24 months of corrected age. Bayley Scales of Infant Development –Second Edition (BSID-II) was performed to define Mental developmental index (MDI) and Psychomotor developmental index (PDI). Results: The mean MDI and PDI scores were similar between the infants with and without transient hypothyroxinemia of prematurity (THOP) [79.9 ± 14.9 vs 70 ± 20.7, respectively (P=0.54); and 92.2 ± 16.4 vs 85.6 ± 18.9, respectively (P=0.68)]. After adjustment for gestational age and multiple prenatal, perinatal, and early and late neonatal variables, THOP was not associated with an increased risk of disabling cerebral palsy, or a reduction of MDI and PDI scores. Conclusions: THOP may not be an important cause of problems in neurologic and mental development detected at the age of 18 to 24 months’ corrected age.