You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Poster symposia
Neonatal follow up
QUALITY OF LIFE AT 2–4.5 YEARS OF AGE IN PRETERM CHILDREN (GA <32 WKS) WITH AND WITHOUT NEUROLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES
  1. G M S J Stoelhorst1,
  2. M Rijken1,
  3. S E Martens1,
  4. S vanSteijn1,
  5. A H Zwinderman2,
  6. J M Wit1,
  7. S Veen1
  1. 1Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
  2. 2Department of Biostatistics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract

Objective To assess Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) at 2–4.5 years of age in very preterm infants with and without neurological abnormalities.

Methods The Leiden Follow-Up Project on Prematurity, a regional, prospective study, includes all liveborn infants <32 wks GA born in 1996 or 1997 (n = 266). 236 children survived. HRQoL was measured using the TNO-AZL- Preschool- Quality of Life-questionnaire (TAPQOL) which has 12 scales for children aged 1.5–5 yrs: stomach problems, appetite, lung problems, skin problems, sleeping, motor functioning, problem behavior, social functioning, positive mood, anxiety, liveliness and communication. HRQoL-scores are 100 maximally. Neurological examination was performed according to Hempel at 2 years corrected age. Children were classified as normal (N), mildly or definitely abnormal (MA, DA).

Results See table.

Conclusions Preterm children with neurological abnormalities at 2 years had lower HRQoL in scales concerning motor functioning, social functioning and communication at all ages examined. HRQoL did not differ from the children with normal neurological outcome in the scales concerning lung and skin problems, sleeping, problem behavior, positive mood, anxiety and liveliness.

View this table:

Stoelhorst et al Differences in median HRQoL scores for children with and without neurological abnormalities at two years of corrected age

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.