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Neuropediatrics 1993; 24(2): 68-73
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1071516
Original article

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Development of Muscle Power in Preterm Infants: Individual Trajectories After Term Age

Laila  de Groot1 , Anne-Marike  v. d. Hoek1 , B.  Hopkins1 , B.C. L. Touwen2
  • 1Department of Educational Sciences, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • 2Department of Developmental Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, State University, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Publication History

Publication Date:
19 March 2008 (online)

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Abstract

In a longitudinal study individual trajectories were traced for the developing relationship between active and passive muscle power in preterm (n = 37) and full term (n = 20) infants from term to 24 weeks (corrected) age. Such trajectories should enable the identification of those infants at highest risk for later neurological dysfunctions. This contention is supported by the findings of this study: those preterm infants who showed marked discrepancies between the two sorts of muscle power or rigidity in both beyond 12 weeks corrected age were most likely to manifest neurological problems at 52 weeks of age.

Key words

Preterm AGA - Preterm SGA-discrepancy in muscle power - Predictive value