Is severity of respiratory disease associated with differences in neurodevelopmental patterns in preterm infants?

Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months of age fo r preterm infants (PT; n = 169) and full-term infants (FT; n = 120) to dete rmine if neurodevelopmental patterns were related to severity of respirator y diagnosis, especially for infants with chronic lung disease. PT infants' respiratory diagnoses were either acute (transient respiratory distress: n = 55; respiratory distress syndrome: n = 48) or chronic (chronic pulmonary insufficiency of the preterm [CPIP]: n = 30; bronchopulmonary dysplasia [BP D]: n = 36). BPD and CPIP infant groups showed no differences in neurodevel opmental patterns, and both groups displayed poorer development in cognitiv e, language, daily living, and motor skills and more persistent neurologica l abnormalities across 24 months than infants with less severe respiratory diagnoses and FT infants.