Neuro‐cognitive performance of very preterm or very low birth weight adults at 26 years

Abstract

Background. Children born very preterm (VP< 32 weeks gestation) and/or with very low birth weight (VBLW< 1500 gr; subsequently VP/VLBW) have been previously reported to have more cognitive impairment and specific executive functioning problems than term children; however, it remains unclear whether these problems persist into adulthood. This study aimed to examine general intelligence (IQ) and executive functioning (EF) of adults born VP/VLBW in comparison to term controls. Additionally, the effects of smallness for gestational age (SGA) and family socio-economic status (SES) at birth were investigated. Results. VP/VLBW adults scored significantly lower than controls in IQ and EF. There was a 1.16 standard deviation (SD) unit difference between the VP/VLBW and controls in FullScale IQ. VP/VLBW adults were found to have general and multiple cognitive problems rather than specific deficits in EF. SGA was not a significant predictor of cognitive impairment. Family SES had a significant impact on general intelligence in both VP/VLBW and term controls. The SES effects amounted to 1.13 SD units between individuals born into high versus low SES. Methods. The Bavarian Longitudinal Conclusions.No narrowing of cognitive deficits between VP/VLBW and term control adults to previous childhood assessments at 6 years of age was found. VP/VLBW adults do not outgrow their cognitive problems despite many receiving special educational support in childhood. Low family SES at birth has similar additive adverse effects on cognitive performance in VP/VLBW and term offspring.

Preterm Toddlers' Inhibitory Control Abilities Predict Attention Regulation and Academic Achievement at Age 8 Years

“…Preterm individuals often have general cognitive impairments [35,44,46] and these are associated with their academic outcomes. Although the relationship between cognitive abilities and achievement was not the focus of this study, we explored whether the effects of early inhibitory control on childhood outcomes were explained by toddlers' cognitive abilities, assessed with the Griffiths Mental Development Scales [36] at 20 months of corrected age.…”

Health-Related Quality of Life Into Adulthood After Very Preterm Birth

“…First, although 63% and 74% of eligible VP/VLBW and term-born individuals, respectively, assessed in childhood could be assessed at 26 years, the dropout was not random. VP/VLBW and term-born individuals who were socially disadvantaged at birth were less likely to continue participation, 35 a problem in many longitudinal studies 36 and it may affect group comparisons. 37 Nevertheless, simulations have shown that predictions only marginally change even when dropout is selective or correlated with the outcome.…”

Neonatal treatment philosophy in Dutch and German NICUs: health-related quality of life in adulthood of VP/VLBW infants

“…Figure 1 presents the flow diagram of participants of both cohorts through the study. More information on these two cohorts can be found elsewhere [7,[15][16].…”