Neurodevelopmental consequences of early plasma sodium changes in very preterm infants.

Background: Sodium fluctuations in very preterm neonates and their neurodevelopmental consequences are not well described.

Methods: We assessed the changes in plasma sodium and glucose in the first days of life in very preterm neonates and studied the association of glucose-corrected plasma sodium fluctuations on neurodevelopmental outcomes. We included 147 consecutive neonates born before 29 weeks of gestation in our center and retrospectively obtained plasma sodium, glucose, and glucose-corrected sodium levels.

Very Preterm Infants with Technological Dependence at Home: Impact on Resource Use and Family.

Objective: To examine the impact of medical complexity among very preterm infants on health care resource use, family, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months' corrected age.

Methods: This observational cohort study of Canadian infants born < 29 weeks' gestational age in 2009-2011 compared infants with and those without medical complexity defined as discharged home with assistive medical technology. Health care resource use and family outcomes were collected.

Parental Perspectives Regarding Outcomes of Very Preterm Infants: Toward a Balanced Approach.

Objectives: To explore parental perspectives regarding their preterm child at 18 months corrected age and to investigate whether reported answers correlate with level of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) as defined by clinicians. We hypothesized that parents would report more negative concerns with increasing level of NDI.

Study Design: This study included 190 infants born <29 weeks of gestational age in 2009-2012 at 1 tertiary university health center.

Validity of the language development survey in infants born preterm.

Background: Preterm infants are at greater risk of language delay. Early identification of language delay is essential to improve functional outcome in these children.

Aim: To examine the concurrent validity of Rescorla's Language Development Survey and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III) at 18months corrected age in preterm infants.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Following Bevacizumab Injections for Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Background And Objective: Bevacizumab intravitreal injection, a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor, is used to treat retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). However, concerns have been raised regarding its systemic absorption and effect on developing tissues including brain. This study compared neurodevelopment at 18 months' corrected age in preterm infants of <29 weeks' gestation treated with bevacizumab versus laser ablation.

In extremely preterm infants, do the Movement Assessment of Infants and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale predict 18-month outcomes using the Bayley-III?

Background: Extremely preterm infants are at high-risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities. The Movement Assessment of Infants (MAI) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) have been designed to predict outcome with modest accuracy with the Bayley-I or Bayley-II.

Aims: To examine and compare the predictive validity of the MAI and AIMS in determining neurodevelopmental outcome with the Bayley-III.

Early electrophysiological markers of atypical language processing in prematurely born infants.

Because nervous system development may be affected by prematurity, many prematurely born children present language or cognitive disorders at school age. The goal of this study is to investigate whether these impairments can be identified early in life using electrophysiological auditory event-related potentials (AERPs) and mismatch negativity (MMN). Brain responses to speech and non-speech stimuli were assessed in prematurely born children to identify early electrophysiological markers of language and cognitive impairments.

Risk for preterm and very preterm delivery in women who were born preterm.

Objective: To evaluate whether women who themselves were born preterm are at increased risk of preterm delivery and, if so, whether known maternal complications of preterm birth such as hypertension or diabetes explain this risk.

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study of all women born preterm (51,148) and term (823,991) in Québec, Canada, between 1976 and 1995; after frequency matching 1:2 preterm to term, we examined the relationship of preterm birth between women and their offspring.

Results: The study included 7,405 women who were born preterm (554 before 32 weeks of gestation and 6,851 at 32-36 weeks of gestation) and 16,714 women born term, who delivered 12,248 and 27,879 newborns, respectively.

Delayed early primary visual pathway development in premature infants: high density electrophysiological evidence.

In the past decades, multiple studies have been interested in developmental patterns of the visual system in healthy infants. During the first year of life, differential maturational changes have been observed between the Magnocellular (P) and the Parvocellular (P) visual pathways. However, few studies investigated P and M system development in infants born prematurely.

Neurophysiological correlates of auditory and language development: a mismatch negativity study.

During child development, physiological changes occur in the auditory cortex, which are reflected by differences in the electrophysiological signals. This study aimed to examine the age-related changes of the Mismatch Negativity component (MMN) in response to speech and non-speech stimuli in a cross-sectional design. Results revealed distinct patterns of activation according to stimulus type and age.

Evolving neonatal steroid prescription habits and patient outcomes.

Aim: Indications for post-natal steroids among preterm infants are evolving. The objective of this study was to compare steroid use in 2 cohorts 5 years apart and to document the short- and long-term outcomes of our most recent cohort.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of infants born under 28 weeks of gestational age for two cohorts (January 2002-August 2003 and July 2008-March 2010).

Pregnancy complications among women born preterm.

Background: Adults who were born with low birth weights are at increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, including pregnancy complications. Low birth weight can result from intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth or both. We examined the relation between preterm birth and pregnancy complications later in life.

[Obstetrical complications and physical aggression behaviours before the age of 2].

Objective: To determine if infants who experienced obstetrical complications (OCs) have a greater tendency to show frequent physical aggression behaviours before the age of 2, independent of gender and family income. Another objective was to explain, at least partly, the sexual differences found in some behaviours using OCs.

Method: Data were from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD).

Role of gender in morbidity and mortality of extremely premature neonates.

We investigated the effect of gender on survival and short-term outcomes of extremely premature infants (≤27 weeks) born in Canada. The records of infants admitted between 2000 and 2005 to a neonatal intensive care unit participating in the Canadian Neonatal Network were reviewed for infant gender, birth weight, gestational age, outborn status, Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology II, and antenatal corticosteroid exposure. The following outcomes were recorded: survival at final discharge, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage grade ≥3, retinopathy grade ≥3, days on ventilation, and length of hospital stay.

The cues and care randomized controlled trial of a neonatal intensive care unit intervention: effects on maternal psychological distress and mother-infant interaction.

Objective: This study tested the efficacy of a brief intervention (Cues program) with mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW <1500 g) infants. The primary hypothesis was that mothers in the Cues program would report lower levels of anxiety compared with mothers in the control group. Secondary hypotheses examined whether Cues mothers would report less stress, depression, and role restriction, and exhibit more sensitive interactive behavior, than control group mothers.

Current status of neonatal follow-up in Canada.

Follow-up programs in Canada collect audit and outcome research data, and provide clinical and preventive health care to extremely premature survivors and other new survivors of neonatal intensive care. Results of a 2001 to 2002 survey of Canadian follow-up programs showed a tremendous variation in the patient populations seen, the timing of visits and the evaluations performed. A description of the new Quebec consortium of follow-up programs is provided and possible future directions are discussed.

The Cues and Care Trial: a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to reduce maternal anxiety and improve developmental outcomes in very low birthweight infants.

Background: Very low birthweight infants are at risk for deficits in cognitive and language development, as well as attention and behaviour problems. Maternal sensitive behaviour (i.e.

Deciding to resuscitate extremely premature babies: how do parents and neonatologists engage in the decision?

Parents at risk of delivering a baby at the threshold of viability are faced with a critical decision. When a child is born between 23 and 25 weeks of gestation, parents are asked to decide whether or not to resuscitate their child. In essence, they are faced with a choice between life and death.

Cognitive and educational outcomes in early adulthood for infants weighing 1000 grams or less at birth.

Aim: To assess the intelligence quotient (IQ) and academic achievement in early adulthood of a cohort of extremely-low-birthweight (ELBW 1000 g) subjects.

Methods: All 82 ELBW survivors consecutively born in or referred to a single tertiary center in 1976-1981 were traced at a mean age of 18 y. Three disabled children had died.

Victimization: a newly recognized outcome of prematurity.

Victimization by peers affects 10 to 20% of school children under the age of 12 years. Physical, verbal, and psychological victimization (being pushed, hit, called names, teased, being the target of rumours, theft, extortion) is associated with short- and long-term adjustment problems, such as peer rejection, social withdrawal, low self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness, and depression, as well as academic problems and school drop-out. Research on populations of school children (primary and secondary) has associated victimization with personal risk factors (the victim's characteristics and behaviour) and interpersonal risk factors (social relationships between peers).

Auditory ERP in extremely premature 5-year-old children.

The aim of this research was to test the hypothesis of a functional impairment in the automatic detection of deviant tones in 141 children born after 25 to 28 weeks of gestational age, as compared to 45 age-matched full-term control children. All of them were assessed at age 5 years 9 months and instructed to listen passively to two different pure tones (1000 vs 1200 Hz; 20 vs 80%) counterbalanced between ears. Rarity was thus defined by specific ear by tone combinations.