Abstract
Objective: to report the neurosensory disabilities at an corrected age (CA) of 24 months of very low birth weight (VLBW) babies born between 1994 and 1996 in the Neonatal Unit of the Sótero del Río Hospital, Chile.
Patients and methods: 254 infants of 268 survivors (95%) from a total of 424 VLBW babies were prospectively followed-up with clinical, neurological, sensory and psychomotor evaluations. 181 children (71%) have completed the 2 year study.
Results: 32% (59/181) had an abnormal neurological examination at 24 months, 13% (24/181) had severe disabilities, 6.6% (12/181) cerebral palsy, 6% had a Bayley Mental Developmental Index of less than 70, 3% had severe neurosensory impairment and 1 was blind. About half of the children with cerebral palsy had another disability. Risk factors for severe deficits included a birth weight of less than 1 000gm, intraventricular haemorrhage grade 3-4, seizures, apnoea and a patent ductus. Using a multiple logistic regression analysis to adjust for neurological outcome, apnoea was a high risk factor.
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