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Neurobehavior of preterm infants from 32 to 48 weeks post-menstrual age

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Abstract

Aim:

Evaluate prospectively the neurobehavior of preterm infants (PT).

Study design:

Cohort of PT (gestational age(GA) <32weeks), evaluated biweekly from 32 to 48 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) by NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS). Scores were compared by repeated Measures ANOVA. Scores of PT were compared to those of full-term infants, matched for gender by ANOVA.

Results:

39 PT (mean ± SD: GA 29.2 ± 2.0 weeks; birthweight 1100 ± 331g) were studied. As PMA progressed, PT showed increasing scores in habituation, attention, arousal, regulation, maneuvers for orientation, quality of movements and hypertonicity, and decreasing scores in excitability, lethargy, non-optimal reflexes, asymmetry, hypotonicity, and signs of stress/withdrawal. At 40 weeks PMA, PT were similar to term neonates assessed in the first days of life, except for less habituation, regulation capacity and excitability, and more hypotonia.

Conclusion:

At 40 weeks PMA, PT reached the performance of full-term neonates evaluated in the first days of life in most neurobehavior domains.

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Funding

Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo - Fapesp) - Grant No 2013/05647-2

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Vivien Valente de Souza Perrella, Barros Marina Carvalho de Moraes & Ruth Guinsburg

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Adriana Sañudo

Authors
  1. Vivien Valente de Souza Perrella
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  2. Barros Marina Carvalho de Moraes
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  3. Adriana Sañudo
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  4. Ruth Guinsburg
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Correspondence to Barros Marina Carvalho de Moraes.

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de Souza Perrella, V.V., Marina Carvalho de Moraes, B., Sañudo, A. et al. Neurobehavior of preterm infants from 32 to 48 weeks post-menstrual age. J Perinatol 39, 800–807 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0376-z

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