Nosocomial infections (NIs) are important conditions associated with mortality and morbidity in very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of NIs and the different subtypes on neurodevelopmental outcomes in a cohort of VLBWIs. VLBWIs born with a gestational age between 23 0/7 and 31 6/7 weeks in a level III neonatal center were enrolled. Neonatal morbidities as well as the neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of corrected age were analyzed. Six-hundred infants completed the study successfully. Of these, 38% experienced an NI episode. NIs were associated with an increased risk of neonatal complications, such as brain injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and death, and were a significant risk factor for adverse motor development at 2 years of corrected age in our cohort of VLBWIs. The negative impact of NIs on neurodevelopmental outcomes was particularly associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), suspected NIs and Gram-positive NIs. This study demonstrated that NIs are a significant risk factor for both morbidity and mortality as well as adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in VLBWIs.
Keywords: neurodevelopmental outcome; nosocomial infection; very low birth weight infants.