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ObjectiveTo determine whether the variation in neurodevelopmental disability rates between populations persists after adjustment for demographic, maternal and infant characteristics for an international very preterm (VPT) birth cohort using a standardised approach to neurodevelopmental assessment at 2 years of age.DesignProspective standardised cohort study.Setting15 regions in 10 European countries.PatientsVPT births: 22+0–31+6weeks of gestation.Data collectionStandardised data collection tools relating to pregnancy, birth and neonatal care and developmental outcomes at 2 years corrected age using a validated parent completed questionnaire.Main outcome measuresCrude and standardised prevalence ratios calculated to compare rates of moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment between regions grouped by country using fixed effects models.ResultsParent reported rates of moderate or severe neurodevelopmental impairment for the cohort were: 17.3% (ranging 10.2%–26.1% between regions grouped by country) with crude standardised prevalence ratios ranging from 0.60 to 1.53. Adjustment for population, maternal and infant factors resulted in a small reduction in the overall variation (ranging from 0.65 to 1.30).ConclusionThere is wide variation in the rates of moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment for VPT cohorts across Europe, much of which persists following adjustment for known population, maternal and infant factors. Further work is needed to investigate whether other factors including quality of care and evidence-based practice have an effect on neurodevelopmental outcomes for these children.

ObjectiveTo investigate the variation in severe neonatal morbidity among very preterm (VPT) infants across European regions and whether morbidity rates are higher in regions with low compared with high mortality rates.DesignArea-based cohort study of all births before 32 weeks of gestational age.Setting16 regions in 11 European countries in 2011/2012.PatientsSurvivors to discharge from neonatal care (n=6422).Main outcome measuresSevere neonatal morbidity was defined as intraventricular haemorrhage grades III and IV, cystic periventricular leukomalacia, surgical necrotizing enterocolitis and retinopathy of prematurity grades ≥3. A secondary outcome included severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), data available in 14 regions. Common definitions for neonatal morbidities were established before data abstraction from medical records. Regional severe neonatal morbidity rates were correlated with regional in-hospital mortality rates for live births after adjustment on maternal and neonatal characteristics.Results10.6% of survivors had a severe neonatal morbidity without severe BPD (regional range 6.4%–23.5%) and 13.8% including severe BPD (regional range 10.0%–23.5%). Adjusted inhospital mortality was 13.7% (regional range 8.4%–18.8%). Differences between regions remained significant after consideration of maternal and neonatal characteristics (P<0.001) and severe neonatal morbidity rates were not correlated with mortality rates (P=0.50).ConclusionSevere neonatal morbidity rates for VPT survivors varied widely across European regions and were independent of mortality rates.

Background:Preterm birth increases risk for adult cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that arteries in 6-y-old children born preterm are narrower, with thicker intima-media and stiffer than in peers born at term.Methods:Children born extremely preterm (EXP, n = 176, birthweights: 348–1,161 g) and at term (CTRL, n = 174, birthweights: 2,430–4,315 g) were included. Using ultrasonography, we determined diameters of the coronaries (CA), common carotid arteries (CCA) and aorta, the carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), and the stiffness index of the CCA and aorta.Results:Arteries were 5–10% narrower in EXP than in CTRL (P < 0.005) but after adjustment for body surface area, diameter differences diminished or disappeared. EXP-children born small for gestational age exhibited similar arterial dimensions as those born appropriate for date. The cIMT was 0.38 (SD = 0.04) mm and did not differ between groups. Carotid but not aortic stiffness was lower in EXP than in CTRL.Conclusion:In 6-y-old children born extremely preterm, conduit arteries are of similar or smaller size than in controls born at term, and they have no signs of accelerated intima media thickening or arterial stiffening. While these findings are reassuring for these children and their families, the causal pathways from preterm birth to adult cardiovascular disease remain unknown.

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