Biomarker could predict premature infants at risk from future development problems
Researchers present potential biomarker to assess premature babies for propensity to future development problems.
Premature infants are more at risk from future neurodevelopmental problems, and researchers from University College London (UCL; London, UK) have recently published research on a potential biomarker to predict the development of such problems. The research was recently published online in the Radiological Society of North America’s journal, Radiology.
A total of 43 premature babies, born at less than 32 weeks gestation, were assessed in the study, which was based at UCL’s neonatal intensive care unit. The infants were examined at term-equivalent age, with MRI and magnetic resonance spectrosopy (MRS) tests analyzing the white matter in the brain. Following 1 year, the infants’ motor, gross motor and communication skills were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development.
The researchers used statistical tests to investigate whether there was any correlation between the MRS results at term-equivalent age to the risk of motor development problems by 1 year. They found that an increased choline to creatine ratio and decreased N-acetylaspartate to choline ratio at term-equivalent age correlated with future development problems.
Giles Kendall (UCL, UK), who led the work, commented on the findings, “Low N-acetylaspartate/choline and rising choline/creatine observed during MRS at the baby’s expected due date predicted with 70% certainty which babies were at high risk for motor development problems at 1 year.”
The team hopes that this biomarker can be used by physicians to determine infants who require intensive interventions to help prevent future development problems. In addition, they envisage their biomarker being used as an outcome measure in future studies to assess the effectiveness of such interventions.
As Kendall explains, “Physiotherapy interventions are available but are very expensive, and the vast majority of premature babies don’t need them. Our hope is to find a robust biomarker that we can use as an outcome measure so that we don’t have to wait 5 or 6 years to see if an intervention has worked.”
Sources: Brain Chemical Ratios Help Predict Developmental Delays in Preterm Infants; Giles S, Kendall GS, Melbourne A et al. White matter NAA/Cho and Cho/Cr ratios at MR spectroscopy are predictive of motor outcome in preterm infants. Radiology doi: 10.1148/radiol.13122679 (2013) (Epub ahead of print).
