L Ma, LD Meng, YH Chen, MJ Yi, JW Wang, AH Cao

Abstract

Background: The quality of general movements assessment, used to assess individual infant from birth to 20 weeks of age, has emerged as one of the most reliable and valid predictors of severe neurological impairments. Aim: To investigate the risk factors for the quality of general movements, which is a predictive value for brain dysfunction in infants. Method: 618 cases at the stage of writhing movements and 539 cases at the stage of fidgety movements were selected for assessment of the quality of general movements. The risk factors for the quality of general movements in infants were analysed by ANOVA, chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the factors that were significantly correlated with the quality of general movements at the stage of writhing movements included delivery gestational age (OR=0.762, P<0.001), birth weight (OR=0.264, P<0.001), severe asphyxia (OR=2.445, P=0.012), and intrauterine distress (OR=4.865, P<0.001). The factors that were significantly correlated with the quality of general movements at the stage of fidgety movements were delivery gestational age (OR=0.786, P=0.003), birth weight (OR=0.217, P<0.001), severe asphyxia (OR=3.765, P=0.001), and hyperbilirubinaemia (OR=2.640, P=0.028). Conclusions: Low delivery gestational age, low birth weight, severe asphyxia, hyperbilirubinaemia and intrauterine distress are risk factors and predictors for abnormal general movements in infants.