Neonatal Biomarkers of Inflammation: Correlates of Early Neurodevelopment and Gait in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Children.

OBJECTIVE: Neonatal biomarkers of inflammation were examined in relation to early neurodevelopment and gait in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm children. We hypothesized that preterm infants exposed to higher levels of neonatal inflammation would demonstrate lower scores on Bayley Scales of Infant Toddler Development, 3rd ed. (BSID-III) and slower gait velocity at 18 to 22 months adjusted age.

STUDY DESIGN: A total of 102 VLBW preterm infants (birthweight [BW] ≤ 1,500 g, gestational age [GA] ≤ 32 weeks) admitted to neonatal intensive care unit [NICU] were recruited. Neonatal risk factors examined were GA at birth, BW, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, sepsis, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, and total bilirubin over first 2 postnatal weeks. At 18 to 22 months, neurodevelopment was assessed with BSID-III and gait was assessed with an instrumented mat.

RESULTS: Children with neonatal CRP ≥ 0.20 mg/dL (n = 52) versus < 0.20 mg/dL (n = 37) had significantly lower BSID-III composite cognitive (92.0 ± 13.1 vs. 100.1 ± 9.6, p = 0.002), language (83.9 ± 16.0 vs. 95.8 ± 14.2, p