A Simple MRI Score Predicts Pathological General Movements in Very Preterm Infants with Brain Injury—Retrospective Cohort Study
Monia Vanessa Dewan,
Pia Deborah Weber,
Ursula Felderhoff-Mueser,
Britta Maria Huening,
Anne-Kathrin Dathe
Affiliations
Monia Vanessa Dewan
Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics I, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
Pia Deborah Weber
Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics I, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
Ursula Felderhoff-Mueser
Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics I, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
Britta Maria Huening
Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics I, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
Anne-Kathrin Dathe
Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics I, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
Background/Objectives: Very preterm infants are at increased risk of brain injury and impaired brain development. The Total Abnormality Score and biometric parameters, such as biparietal width, interhemispheric distance and transcerebellar diameter, are simple measures to evaluate brain injury, development and growth using cerebral magnetic resonance imaging data at term-equivalent age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the Total Abnormality Score and biometric parameters with general movements in very preterm infants with brain injury. Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included 70 very preterm infants (≤32 weeks’ gestation and/or p < 0.05). Conclusions: Among very preterm infants with brain injury, the Total Abnormality Score can be used to predict the absence of fidgety movements and may be an easily accessible tool for identifying high-risk very preterm infants and planning early interventions accordingly.
