Ultrasound measurements of brain structures differ between moderate-late preterm and full-term infants at term equivalent age

Vivian Boswinkel; Femke I Sok; Martine F Krüse-Ruijter; Ingrid M Nijholt; Fenna A R Jansen; Monique C Haak; Martijn F Boomsma; Linda S de Vries; Sylke J Steggerda; Gerda van Wezel-Meijler

doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105424

Ultrasound measurements of brain structures differ between moderate-late preterm and full-term infants at term equivalent age

Early Hum Dev. 2021 Sep:160:105424. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105424. Epub 2021 Jul 14.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neonatology, Women and Children's Hospital, Isala, Dokter van Heesweg 2, 8025 AB Zwolle, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: v.boswinkel@isala.nl.
² Department of Neonatology, Women and Children's Hospital, Isala, Dokter van Heesweg 2, 8025 AB Zwolle, the Netherlands.
³ Department of Radiology, Isala, Dokter van Heesweg 2, 8025 AB Zwolle, the Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics - Division of Prenatal Diagnosis and Fetal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis, University Medical Center Utrecht, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA Utrecht, the Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Neonatology, Willem Alexander Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Leiden, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.

PMID: 34303106
DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105424

Abstract

Background: Brain growth in moderate preterm (MP; gestational age (GA) 32⁺⁰-33⁺⁶ weeks) and late preterm infants (LP; GA 34⁺⁰-36⁺⁶ weeks) may be impaired, even in the absence of brain injury.

Aims: The aims of this study were to assess brain measurements of MP and LP infants, and to compare these with full-term infants (GA > 37 weeks) using linear cranial ultrasound (cUS) at term equivalent age (TEA).

Study design: cUS data from two prospective cohorts were combined. Two investigators performed offline measurements on standard cUS planes. Eleven brain structures were compared between MP, LP and full-term infants using uni- and multivariable linear regression. Results were adjusted for postmenstrual age at cUS and corrected for multiple testing.

Results: Brain measurements of 44 MP, 54 LP and 52 full-term infants were determined on cUS scans at TEA. Biparietal diameter and basal ganglia-insula width were smaller in MP (-9.1 mm and - 1.7 mm, p < 0.001) and LP infants (-7.0 mm and - 1.7 mm, p < 0.001) compared to full-term infants. Corpus callosum - fastigium length was larger in MP (+2.2 mm, p < 0.001) than in full-term infants. No significant differences were found between MP and LP infants.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that brain growth in MP and LP infants differs from full-term infants. Whether these differences have clinical implications remains to be investigated.

Keywords: Brain measurements; Cerebral development; Cranial ultrasound; Moderate-late preterm infants; Reference values.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain* / diagnostic imaging
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature*
Prospective Studies
Ultrasonography / methods