Incidence and two-year neurodevelopmental outcomes of small-for-gestational-age preterm infants: how do they relate to using different neonatal anthropometric charts?

BACKGROUND: The effect of different neonatal anthropometric charts on the incidence and neurodevelopmental outcomes at two years (Y) corrected age of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) preterm infants has still not been fully explored. METHODS: All preterm infants with a gestational age (GA) between 24.0 and 31.6 weeks (W), born from Jan-2004 to Dec-2017 in the Marche region (Italy) were studied. Intergrowth-21st, Beeby, Fenton, and Bertino anthropometric charts were used to classify infants with a birth weight less than 10th centile as SGA. Disabilities and neurodevelopmental scores assessed by Bayley-III Test were recorded at the 2Y follow-up visit. RESULTS: One thousand one hundred forty-seven preterm infants were evaluated. The incidence of SGA was significantly different among the study charts (from 12.9 to 17.5%). Nine hundred and twenty-seven study infants were assessed for neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2Y corrected age. The incidence of SGA with moderate cognitive impairment (COG Score: 70-84) and mild neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) were significantly different between the Intergrowth-21st and Bertino charts (31.7% vs. 19.6%, P=0.042; 30.8 vs. 19.2%, P=0.036; respectively). A statistically significant difference in COG Score was found between SGA preterm infants overlapping in all study charts and those classified as SGA only by the Intergrowth-21st chart (89.1±15.7 vs. 99.2±19.8; P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of preterm infants with a GA between 24.0 and 31.6W, the incidence and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2Y corrected age of SGAs were significantly different depending on the anthropometric charts. These differences, albeit small, should be considered both in clinical practice and trials on SGA preterm infants.

Long-term follow-up of newborns at neurological risk.

BACKGROUND: In order to give a new contribution to the knowledge of the psycho-physical, behavioral and socio-relational development of the individuals who were born at neurological risk, we have carried out a research work through a retrospective and observational analysis in such people, followed in their neuro-evolutionary development from the Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology of the Hospital of Jesi. The purpose of this work is to value the quality of life of the individuals born at neurological risk at a distance of time from the birth. In the literature only recently there are studies on the quality of life of some categories of people, but survey does not seem to be performed in individuals previously born at neurological risk. METHODS: A statistical descriptive and inferential survey has been carried out on 812 individuals who were born at neurological risk, 442 preterm newborns and 370 term newborns, followed from 1977 until to 2007. They were classed in order to their age at the time of our observation. We have submitted the entire sample to a Questionnaire to investigate some areas of their life, ranging from their clinical and psycho-social history to their personal coming of life. Then the same persons, subdivided according to the various age groups, were subjected to other Questionnaires on the quality of life, internationally used. RESULTS: Neurological outcomes were found in 14.7% of the preterm newborns and in 6% of the term newborns, with a significant correlation between neurological outcomes and gestational age, low birth-weight, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and low APGAR-index. Neuro-disabilities were found prevalently belong to the small for gestational age preterm newborns. A low quality of life emerged in those who had neurological outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study on the individuals who were born at neurological risk, analyzed at a distance, shows that a good health is associated with a good quality of life, while a low quality of life occurs to those who had neurological outcome, especially in the physical, cognitive, emotional and socio-relational aspects. As far as the few neurological outcomes which we have found in this survey, we think that they are due, other than to the natural factors, also to the high quality of the obstetric and neonatal care, to the early habilitation physiotherapy and to the important collaboration with the family.

False positive screen test for mucopolysaccharidoses in healthy female newborns.

BACKGROUND: In total, 930 urine samples obtained on 2nd and 3rd day from birth have been analyzed for the early diagnosis of Mucopolysaccharidoses. METHODS: Dimethylmethylene blue (DMB) assay and one-dimensional electrophoresis were performed in all urine samples. Agarose gel electrophoresis, before and after treatment with chondroitinase ABC and heparinases, was used for a comprehensive characterization. RESULTS: Out of 930 urine samples 7 showed anomalous electrophoretic pattern; 5 of them had high GAG levels by DMB test. Atypical samples (n = 7) were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. After enzymatic digestion, some slow bands were still visible. A second urine sample of the above 7 newborns was analyzed at the age of 1 month, demonstrating both a normal pattern and normal GAG levels. Additional urine and vaginal mucus samples from 10 term neonates with vaginal bleeding showed the same electrophoretic pattern observed in the 7 false positive samples. CONCLUSIONS: The altered electrophoretic pattern may be due to the presence of glycoproteins and not to specific GAGs, due to high levels of maternal hormones exposure during pregnancy. To our knowledge, this is the first time maternal estrogen hormones are proposed as a likely cause of false-positive urinary glycosaminoglycan screen test in healthy newborns.