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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Usefulness of an early neurofunctional assessment in predicting neurodevelopmental outcome in very low birthweight
O Picciolini1, M L Giannì, C Vegni
1NICU, Department of Neonatology, L Mangiagalli Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, University of Milan,Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. o.picciolini@icp.mi.it
Objective:
To evaluate whether early neurofunctional assessment may be useful in predicting neurodevelopmental outcome in children of very low birth weight (VLBW).
Design:
Observational longitudinal study.
Settings:
Northern Italy.
Patients:
A total of 250 VLBW children (129 boys, 121 girls) born consecutively 1996-1999.
Main Outcome Measures:
Neurodevelopment at 36 months of chronological age, classified in accordance with the classification of Tardieu and the International classification of functioning.
Results:
Of the infants exhibiting normal neurodevelopment (n = 183) or major dysfunction (n = 17) at 3 months of corrected age, 72% and 94% respectively did not change their score during the study. Minor dysfunctions at 3 months of corrected age were transient in 17 (34%) children. After adjustment for neonatal variables, neurodevelopment at 3 months of corrected age remained predictive of dysfunction at 36 months (odds ratio = 4.33, 95% confidence interval 2.05 to 9.12). If the results for the normal and minor dysfunction groups were pooled, the predictive qualities of the 3 month neurofunctional assessment were: sensitivity 0.5, specificity 0.99, positive predictive value 0.94, negative predictive value 0.93.
Conclusion:
Early neurofunctional evaluation may be useful in predicting later neurodevelopmental outcome in VLBW children.
