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Published on: August 25, 2014

Cognitive performance at school age of very low birth weight infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

C A Hughes1, L A O'Gorman, Y Shyr

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|March 11, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) significantly impacts school-aged children's cognitive abilities. Children with BPD showed poorer performance in IQ, academic grades, and specific cognitive tests compared to peers without BPD.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Neonatal Medicine

Background:

  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease affecting premature infants.
  • Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with BPD require further investigation.
  • Cognitive deficits may persist into school age for survivors of severe neonatal respiratory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term effects of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) on cognitive performance in school-aged children.
  • To compare cognitive outcomes between very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with and without BPD, and term infants.
  • To identify specific cognitive domains affected by a history of BPD.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study involving three groups of children aged 8-10 years.
  • Group 1: VLBW infants without BPD (n=311).
  • Group 2: VLBW infants with BPD (n=95).
  • Group 3: Term infants without BPD (n=188).
  • Regression analysis was used to assess BPD's effect on cognitive measures, controlling for confounders.

Main Results:

  • Children with BPD (Group 2) exhibited the poorest performance across all cognitive measures compared to term infants (Group 3).
  • Significant differences were observed in Full Scale IQ, Performance IQ, reading, and math performance (p=.0001).
  • VLBW infants with BPD also showed poorer Verbal IQ and visual-motor integration compared to term infants, but not significantly different from VLBW infants without BPD.

Conclusions:

  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is associated with adverse cognitive outcomes at school age.
  • VLBW infants with a history of BPD demonstrate significant deficits in cognitive functioning.
  • Early lung injury in preterm infants may have lasting neurodevelopmental consequences impacting academic and intellectual abilities.

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