Duration of mechanical ventilation and neurodevelopment in preterm infants.

Objective: To investigate the association between invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) duration and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants in an era of restricted IMV.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Single neonatal intensive care unit in Amsterdam.

Long-term child follow-up after large obstetric randomised controlled trials for the evaluation of perinatal interventions: a systematic review of the literature.

Background: Although the hope is that many perinatal interventions are performed with an ultimate aim to improve the long-term health and development of the child, long-term outcome is rarely used as a primary end-point in perinatal randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Objective: To evaluate how often and with which tools long-term follow-up is performed after large obstetric RCTs.

Search Strategy: We searched the Cochrane Library for Cochrane reviews published by the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group for reviews on interventions that aimed to improve neonatal outcome.

Costs and effects of screening and treating low risk women with a singleton pregnancy for asymptomatic bacteriuria, the ASB study.

Background: The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy is 2-10% and is associated with both maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes as pyelonephritis and preterm delivery. Antibiotic treatment is reported to decrease these adverse outcomes although the existing evidence is of poor quality.

Methods/design: We plan a combined screen and treat study in women with a singleton pregnancy.

Perinatal risk-indicators for long-term respiratory morbidity among preterm or very low birth weight neonates.

Objectives: To develop prediction models for long-term respiratory morbidity. To explore if respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a risk-indicator for long-term respiratory morbidity and to identify other perinatal risk-indicators for long-term respiratory morbidity.

Study Design: In the Dutch POPS cohort 1338 live born infants delivered in The Netherlands in 1983, either before 32 completed weeks gestation and/or with a birth weight below 1500 g, were followed prospectively.

Difference in mother-child interaction between preterm- and term-born preschoolers with and without disabilities.

Aim: To investigate differences in the quality of mother-child interaction between preterm- and term-born children at age 5, and to study the association of mother-child interaction with sociodemographic characteristics and child disability.

Methods: Preterm children (n = 94), born at <30 weeks' gestation and/or birth weight <1000 g, and term children (n = 84) were assessed at corrected age of 5 using a mother-child interaction observation. Disabilities were assessed using an intelligence test, behaviour questionnaires for parents and teachers, and motor and neurological examinations.

Effects on (neuro)developmental and behavioral outcome at 2 years of age of induced labor compared with expectant management in intrauterine growth-restricted infants: long-term outcomes of the DIGITAT trial.

Objective: We sought to study long-term (neuro)developmental and behavioral outcome of pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction at term in relation to induction of labor or an expectant management.

Study Design: Parents of 2-year-old children included in the Disproportionate Intrauterine Growth Intervention Trial at Term (DIGITAT) answered the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

Results: We approached 582 (89.

The infant behavioral assessment and intervention program in very low birth weight infants; outcome on executive functioning, behaviour and cognition at preschool age.

Background: The Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP©) improved motor function at 24 months, and mental and behavioural development in high risk subgroups of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Aim: To determine IBAIP's effects on executive functioning, behaviour and cognition at preschool age.

Study Design: Follow-up of a randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Prediction of cognitive abilities at the age of 5 years using developmental follow-up assessments at the age of 2 and 3 years in very preterm children.

Aim: This study investigated prediction of separate cognitive abilities at the age of 5 years by cognitive development at the ages of both 2 and 3 years, and the agreement between these measurements, in very preterm children.

Methods: Preterm children (n=102; 44 males; 58 females) with a gestational age less than 30 weeks and/or birthweight less than 1000g were assessed at the ages of 2 and 3 years using the second edition of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, the Child Behaviour Checklist, and a neurological examination, and at the age of 5 years using the third edition of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence.

Results: Cognitive development at ages 2 and 3 years explained 44% and 57% respectively of full-scale intelligence at the age of 5 years.

Visual perception and visual-motor integration in very preterm and/or very low birth weight children: a meta-analysis.

A range of neurobehavioral impairments, including impaired visual perception and visual-motor integration, are found in very preterm born children, but reported findings show great variability. We aimed to aggregate the existing literature using meta-analysis, in order to provide robust estimates of the effect of very preterm birth on visual perceptive and visual-motor integration abilities. Very preterm born children showed deficits in visual-spatial abilities (medium to large effect sizes) but not in visual closure perception.

Preventing preterm birth with progesterone: costs and effects of screening low risk women with a singleton pregnancy for short cervical length, the Triple P study.

Background: Women with a short cervical length in mid-trimester pregnancy have a higher risk of preterm birth and therefore a higher rate of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Progesterone can potentially decrease the number of preterm births and lower neonatal mortality and morbidity. Previous studies showed good results of progesterone in women with either a history of preterm birth or a short cervix.

Reliability, sensitivity and responsiveness of the Infant Behavioral Assessment in very preterm infants.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the reliability, sensitivity and responsiveness of the Infant Behavioral Assessment (IBA) to evaluate neurobehavioural organization in very preterm infants.

Methods: Videotaped assessments of very preterm infants participating in a recent trial served to evaluate a standardized IBA observation. Inter-rater reliability was based on 40 videos scored by two independent observers, using percentage agreement and weighted Kappa's.

A systematic review of severe morbidity in infants born late preterm.

Objective: Late-preterm infants (34 weeks 0/7 days-36 weeks 6/7 days' gestation) represent the largest proportion of singleton preterm births. A systematic review was performed to access the short- and/or long-term morbidity of late-preterm infants.

Study Design: An electronic search was conducted for cohort studies published from January 2000 through July 2010.

Perinatal risk indicators for long-term neurological morbidity among preterm neonates.

Objective: Many obstetric interventions are performed to improve long-term neonatal outcome. However, long-term neonatal outcome is usually not a primary outcome because it is time-consuming and expensive. The aim of this project was to identify different perinatal risk indicators and to develop prediction models for neurologic morbidity at 2 and 5 years of age.

Infant behavioral assessment and intervention program in very low birth weight infants improves independency in mobility at preschool age.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program(©) (IBAIP) in very low birth weight infants on sensory processing and daily activities at preschool age.

Study Design: Follow-up of children included in a randomized controlled trial. Eighty-six infants were enrolled in post-discharge IBAIP until 6 months corrected age, and 90 infants received standard care.

Outcome at 4.5 years of children born after expectant management of early-onset hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Objective: The objective of the study was to describe neurodevelopmental outcome at the age of 4.5 years in 216 children, born after expectant management of severe early-onset hypertensive complications of pregnancy.

Study Design: This was a prospective follow-up study until age 4.

High incidence of multi-domain disabilities in very preterm children at five years of age.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence and co-occurrence of disabilities and their association with parental education in preterm children and term control subjects.

Study Design: In a prospective study, preterm children (n=104), born at <30 weeks' gestation or birth weight <1000 g, and term children (n=95) were assessed at corrected age 5 with an intelligence quotient (IQ) test, behavior questionnaires for parents and teachers, and motor and neurologic tests. A disability was defined as results in the mild abnormal range of each test or below.

Long-term health-related and economic consequences of short-term outcomes in evaluation of perinatal interventions.

Background: Many perinatal interventions are performed to improve long-term neonatal outcome. To evaluate the long-term effect of a perinatal intervention follow-up of the child after discharge from the hospital is necessary because serious sequelae from perinatal complications frequently manifest themselves only after several years. However, long-term follow-up is time-consuming, is not in the awareness of obstetricians, is expensive and falls outside the funding-period of most obstetric studies.

Improvement of developmental outcome between 24 and 36 months corrected age in very preterm infants.

Aim:  To study early developmental course in preschool-aged very preterm infants and its association with perinatal risk factors and test-taking behaviour.

Methods:   Children born <30 weeks gestation and/or <1000g in the Academic Medical Center of Amsterdam were assessed at 24 and 36 months corrected age with the Dutch Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II-NL) and neurological examination. Linear regression analyses for developmental change were performed with perinatal risk factors.

Parenting stress in mothers after very preterm birth and the effect of the Infant Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Program.

Objective: Purpose of this study was to examine maternal parenting stress as a secondary outcome of the Infant Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP).

Methods: In a randomized controlled trial 86 very preterm infants and their parents were assigned to the intervention group and 90 to the control group. Maternal parenting stress was assessed with the Dutch version of the Parenting Stress Index at 12 and 24 months post term.

The effect of the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program on mother-infant interaction after very preterm birth.

Background: Prematurity and perinatal insults lead to increased developmental vulnerability. The home-based Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP) was designed to improve development of preterm infants. In a multicenter randomized controlled trial the effect of IBAIP on mother-infant interaction was studied as a secondary outcome.

A neurobehavioral intervention and assessment program in very low birth weight infants: outcome at 24 months.

Objective: To determine whether the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP) improves development and behavior in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants at 24-month corrected age.

Study Design: In a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial 86 infants received postdischarge intervention until 6-month corrected age. The intervention consisted of supporting infants' self-regulation and development, and facilitating sensitive parent-infant interactions; 90 control infants received regular care.

Phase 1 trial of 4 thyroid hormone regimens for transient hypothyroxinemia in neonates of <28 weeks' gestation.

Background: Transiently low levels of thyroid hormones occur in approximately 50% of neonates born 24-28 weeks' gestation and are associated with higher rates of cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment. Raising hormone levels shows promise for improving neurodevelopmental outcome.

Objective: To identify whether any of 4 thyroid hormone supplementation regimens could raise T(4) and FT(4) without suppressing TSH (biochemical euthyroidism).

No association between maternal psychological symptoms and infant outcome after pregnancy complicated by early-onset hypertensive disorders.

Aim: The aim of this work was to study the effect of maternal psychological symptoms on infant development 1 year after early-onset hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Methods: All mothers were enrolled in the Pre-eclampsia, Eclampsia TRial Amsterdam. Mothers were asked to complete the 90-item Symptom Check List (SCL-90) at the corrected ages of their infants of 0, 3 and 12 months.

Trials with thyroid hormone in preterm infants: clinical and neurodevelopmental effects.

A large number of articles exist on thyroid hormone function and its clinical correlates, but only a few exist on trials with thyroid hormones in premature infants. Most of these trials had clinical short-term endpoints, while only one trial had a long-term neurodevelopmental endpoint. None of the trials reported changes in mortality and morbidities.