Chorioamnionitis and Five-Year Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Preterm Infants

Area of Science:

• Neonatal research
• Developmental neuroscience
• Obstetrics and Gynecology

Background:

• Chorioamnionitis is a known risk factor for preterm birth.
• Previous research suggests a potential link between chorioamnionitis and suboptimal neurological development in premature infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between chorioamnionitis and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants at five years of age.
• To differentiate the impact of clinical versus histological chorioamnionitis on long-term neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

• Recruited very low birth weight and gestational age infants (n=197).
• Assessed placental samples for histological chorioamnionitis (n=117), including a subgroup for fetal histological chorioamnionitis.
• Diagnosed clinical chorioamnionitis from medical records.
• Evaluated neurodevelopmental impairments at 2 years and cognitive/neuropsychological performance at 5 years.

Main Results:

• No significant associations were found between histological or clinical chorioamnionitis and neurodevelopmental impairments at 2 years of age.
• Clinical chorioamnionitis and fetal histological chorioamnionitis were not linked to cognitive development or neuropsychological performance at 5 years.
• Histological chorioamnionitis was associated with poorer cognitive outcomes and weaker memory/learning functions at 5 years.

Conclusions:

• Clinical chorioamnionitis does not appear to play a significant independent role in neurodevelopmental problems in very preterm infants.
• Histological chorioamnionitis showed a modest association with less optimal neurodevelopmental performance at 5 years.
• Further research is required to confirm the clinical significance of histological chorioamnionitis findings.