Time to regain birthweight and association with neurodevelopmental outcomes among extremely preterm newborns

ObjectiveDetermine association between time to regain birthweight and 2-year neurodevelopment among extremely preterm (EP) newborns.Study designSecondary analysis of the Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection Trial evaluating time to regain birthweight, time from birth to weight nadir, time from nadir to regain birthweight, and cumulative weight loss with 2-year corrected Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd edition.ResultsAmong n = 654 EP neonates, those with shorter nadir-to-regain had lower cognitive scores (<= 1 day versus >= 8 days: -5.0 points, [CI -9.5, -0.6]) and lower motor scores (<= 1 day versus >= 8 days: -4.6 points [CI -9.2, -0.03]) in adjusted stepwise forward regression modeling. Increasingly cumulative weight loss was associated with lower cognitive scores (<=-50 percent-days: -5.6, [CI -9.4, -1.8]), motor scores (<=-50 percent-days: -4.2, [CI -8.2, -0.2]); and language scores (<=-50 percent-days: -6.0, [CI -10.1, -1.9]).ConclusionFaster nadir-to-regain and excessive cumulative weight loss are associated with adverse 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes.Trial registrationPENUT Trial Registration: NCT01378273. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01378273.Clinical trial registrationThis study is a post-hoc secondary analysis of pre-existing data from the PENUT Trial (NCT #01378273).