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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Nutritional status and neurodevelopmental levels in infants at high risk of cerebral palsy
Hongyu Zhou1,2, Huiying Qiu1,2, Xiaoyue Wang1,2
1Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Women and Children Medical Center Guangzhou Medical University Guangdong China.
Insights
Undernutrition is common in infants at high risk of cerebral palsy (CP). Poor nutritional status is linked to lower neurodevelopmental outcomes in these infants, highlighting the need for nutritional support.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
- Cerebral Palsy Research
Background:
- Nutrition significantly impacts neurodevelopment in infants.
- Infants at high risk for cerebral palsy (CP) often experience undernutrition.
- The precise link between nutritional status and neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the nutritional status of infants identified as high-risk for CP.
- To investigate the association between varying levels of nutritional status and neurodevelopmental outcomes in these infants.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 479 infants at high risk of CP (corrected age 0-12 months).
- Nutritional status assessed via weight and height z-scores, categorized using WHO and ASPEN standards.
- Neurodevelopmental evaluation performed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development across multiple domains.
Main Results:
- 43.4% of infants exhibited undernutrition.
- Higher odds of moderate and severe undernutrition were associated with delays in gross motor, fine motor, cognition, receptive, and expressive communication.
- Significant positive correlations (P < 0.001) were observed between improved nutritional status and better neurodevelopmental levels.
Conclusions:
- Undernutrition and neurodevelopmental delays are highly prevalent in infants at high risk for CP.
- Worsening nutritional status directly correlates with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes in this vulnerable group.
Importance:
Nutrition is associated with neurodevelopment. Infants at high risk of cerebral palsy (CP) usually suffer from undernutrition, yet the relationship between nutritional status and neurodevelopmental levels is unclear.
Objective:
To describe the nutritional status characteristics of infants at high risk of CP, and to explore the relationship between neurodevelopmental levels and nutritional status.
Methods:
This single-center cross-sectional study enrolled infants at high risk of CP, with corrected age from 0 days to 12 months. Weight and height were measured and calculated into z-scores, which were used to classify the nutritional status based on the World Health Organization growth charts and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition standards. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development were used to evaluate the developmental levels of gross motor, fine motor, cognition, receptive communication, and expressive communication.
Results:
A total of 479 infants at high risk of CP were recruited, with 43.4% classified as undernutrition. Compared to those with normal neurodevelopment, the odds of moderate and severe undernutrition were about 1.8 and 3.9 times higher in gross motor delay, 2.2 and 3.1 times higher in fine motor delay, 2.5 and 9.4 times higher in cognition delay, 2.2 and 3.9 times higher in receptive communication delay, and 3.0 and 5.6 times higher in expressive communication delay. There were significant positive correlations between nutritional status and neurodevelopmental levels (P < 0.001).
Interpretation:
Undernutrition and neurodevelopmental delays are prevalent among infants at high risk of CP. Worse nutritional status was correlated with lower neurodevelopmental levels.
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