Neurodevelopmental outcomes of high-risk preterm infants: A prospective study in Japan

Abstract Objectives: To determine the neurodevelopmental outcomes of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs, birth weight Methods: This study prospectively recruited 224 VLBWIs born from 2003 to 2009 in Kyushu University Hospital, Japan. Comorbidities of neurocognitive impairment, epilepsy, and autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ASD/ADHD) were assessed at 3, 6 and 9 years of age. Results: Neurodevelopmental profiles were obtained from 185 (83%), 150 (67%) and 119 (53%) participants at 3, 6 and 9 years of age, respectively. At 9 years of age, 25 (21%) VLBWIs showed intelligence quotient (IQ) Conclusion: These data suggest that VLBWIs showed a higher prevalence of developmental delay, epilepsy and ASD/ADHD at 9 years of age than the general population. Distinct mechanisms might be involved in the pathogenic process of ASD/ADHD from those of developmental delay and epilepsy.