Associations between body weight trajectories and neurodevelopment outcomes at 24 months corrected age in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants: a group-based trajectory modelling study

• Published in: Frontiers in pediatrics 2024-07, Vol.12, p.1393547
• Main Authors: Wang, Ts-Ting, Chen, Yen-Ju, Su, Yi-Han, Yang, Yun-Hsiang, Chu, Wei-Ying, Lin, Wei-Ting, Chang, Yu-Shan, Lin, Yung-Chieh, Lin, Chyi-Her, Lin, Yuh-Jyh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: extrauterine growth retardation; group-based trajectory modelling; growth trajectory; neurodevelopment outcome; neurodevelopmental impairment; Pediatrics; very-low-birth-weight preterm infants
• ISSN: 2296-2360; 2296-2360
• DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1393547

This study aimed to explore the relationship between the trajectories of body weight (BW) -scores at birth, discharge, and 6 months corrected age (CA) and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 24 months CA. Conducted as a population-based retrospective cohort study across 21 hospitals in Taiwan, we recruited 3,334 very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants born between 2012 and 2017 at 23-32 weeks of gestation. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 24 months CA. Instances of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) were defined by the presence of at least one of the following criteria: cerebral palsy, severe hearing loss, profound vision impairment, or cognitive impairment. Group-based trajectory modeling was employed to identify distinct BW z-score trajectory groups. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the associations between these trajectories, postnatal comorbidity, and neurodevelopmental impairments. The analysis identified three distinct trajectory groups: high-climbing, mid-declining, and low-declining. Significant associations were found between neurodevelopmental impairments and both cystic periventricular leukomalacia (cPVL) [with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 3.59;