Occurrence of multi-domain cognitive impairments higher in preterms, Finds study

Preterm infants are at risk for functional impairments in motor, cognitive, and behavioral development that may persist into childhood.

Hencee, Elise Roze and associates from the Division of Neonatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands and Divison of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands conducted the present study to determine the co-occurrence of cognitive impairments in multiple cognitive domains at school age in very preterm born children compared to term-born children.

The results seen were-

a. At mean age 8.8 years, 15% of preterm children had abnormal outcomes in multiple cognitive functions (≥2), versus 3% of the controls (odds ratio, OR 4.65, 95%-confidence interval, CI 1.33–16.35).

b. For multiple suspect-abnormal cognitive outcomes, rates were 55% versus 25% (OR 3.02, 95%-CI 1.49–6.12).

c. No pattern of co-occurrence of cognitive impairments among preterm children that deviated from term-born controls was found.

d. However, low performance IQ was more frequently accompanied by additional cognitive impairments in preterms than in controls (OR 5.43, 95%-CI 1.75–16.81).

Therefore, the authors concluded that "A majority of preterm children showed co-occurrence of impairments in multiple cognitive domains, but with no specific pattern of impairments. The occurrence of multi-domain cognitive impairments is higher in preterms but this seems to reflect a general increase, not one with a pattern specific for preterm-born children."