Growth and Neurodevelopmental Outcome at 15 Months of Corrected Age in Very Low Birth Weight Infants with Chronic Lung Disease

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was performed to compare the growth and neurodevelopmental outcome at 15 months of corrected age in very-low-birth weight infants between chronic lung disease(CLD) group and the control group. METHODS: Very-low-birth-weight infants who were admitted and survived in the NICU(neonatal intensive care units) of Chonnam Univeristy Hospital from Jan. 1997 to Jan. 2000 were divided into two groups, CLD group(n=55) and the control group(n=130). Physical assessment for body weight, length and head circumference, and neurologic examination were done at postconceptional 40 weeks, and then one to two months of interval until the baby reached 15 months of corrected age. Frequency of readmission and presence or absence of cerebral palsy were also examined. Statistical analysis was done between the two groups by SPSS program. RESULTS: Infants in the CLD group were lighter birth weight with shorter gestational age, and had more neonatal respiratory morbidity and higher readmission rate than that of the control group. Incidence of head growth below third percentile was significantly higher in CLD group, however when the comparison was done below the tenth percentile, there showed no difference between the two groups. Incidences of motor and language delay, and cerebral palsy were not different between the two groups, but the personal-social delay was higher in the CLD group. CONCLUSION: Incidences of head circumference below third percentile and of personal-social delay at 15 months of corrected age were significantly higher in CLD group than in the control group. But the incidence of cerebral palsy was not different.