Metabolic bone disease (MBD) predominantly affects preterm infants, particularly very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants weighing <1500 g. However, there are limited reports on MBD and neurodevelopmental outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors for MBD and understand its impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of corrected age. Overall, 749 VLBW infants weighing <1350 g at birth were enrolled. Exclusion criteria were major congenital abnormalities, chromosomal abnormalities, and loss of follow-up on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) test at 24 months of corrected age. Infants were retrospectively assessed by a trained case manager using the BSID-III test at 6, 12, and 24 months old. Infants were categorized as with or without MBD according to radiographic signs. Of those enrolled, 97 VLBW infants were diagnosed with MBD, compared to 362 VLBW infants without MBD. The proportion of infants that completed three follow-ups was 86%. At the assessment at 2 years of age, infants with MBD had lower and more significant differences in motor, language, and cognitive composites. MBD is associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in cognitive, motor, and language composites for VLBW infants at 24 months of corrected age.
Keywords: Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III; metabolic bone disease; neurodevelopmental outcomes; risk factors; very-low-birth-weight infants.