Population based report on health related quality of life in adolescents born very preterm.

Background: As the survival rate of preterm infants constantly improves, knowledge on the impact of prematurity on long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is important for clinical and parental guidance. We aimed to assess HRQoL in a national cohort of young adolescents born very preterm, and to identify predictors for poorer HRQoL.

Patients And Methods: All surviving Swiss live-born children below 30weeks of gestation during the year 2000 (290 subjects) were contacted at age 12years, together with their parents (262 families). HRQoL of the study children was assessed using both the Kidscreen-27 (KS-27) self- and parent forms. Neonatal data of the cohort were prospectively collected.

Results: Among the contacted families, 176 returned the complete set of questionnaires for 194 adolescents (67%): 100 (51%) females, mean (range) gestational age was 27.8 (24.1-29.9) weeks, birth weight 1025 (420-1730) grams, mean age at assessment 12.0 (11.0-13.0) years. Included children had similar neonatal and socio-demographic characteristics as non-responders. Average self- and parent-reported HRQoL of former preterms was similar to Swiss KS-27 norms. According to the multivariable models (r=0.2), surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, severe neurodevelopment impairment were negatively associated with both self- and parent-reported HRQoL.

Conclusions: HRQoL in this population-based cohort of adolescents born very preterm is good. Surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, severe neurodevelopment impairment were identified as predictors of poorer HRQoL using multivariable models, explaining however only a low proportion of variance in HRQoL.