Risk factor models for neurodevelopmental outcome in children born very preterm or with very low birth weight: a systematic review of methodology and reporting

Journal article

The prediction of long term outcome in surviving infants born very preterm (VPT) or with very low birth weight (VLBW) is necessary to guide clinical management, provide information to parents and to help target and evaluate interventions. A large literature reports risk factor models for neurodevelopmental outcome in VPT/VLBW children yet few, if any, have been developed for use in routine clinical practice or adopted for use in research studies or policy evaluation. We sought to systematically review the methods and reporting of studies that have developed a multivariable risk factor model for neurodevelopment in surviving VPT/VLBW children. We searched the Medline, Embase and Pyscinfo databases from 01/01/1990 to 01/06/2014 and identified 78 studies reporting 222 risk factor models (protocol registration number CRD42014006943). Most studies presented risk factor analyses that were not intended to be used for prediction, confirming that there is a dearth of specifically designed prognostic modelling studies for long-term outcome in surviving VPT/VLBW children. We highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the research methodology and reporting to date, and provide recommendations for the design and analysis of future studies seeking to study risk prediction or to develop prognostic models for VPT/VLBW children.

Authors: Kurinczuk, J; Linsell, L; Malouf, R; Marlow, N; Morris, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Journal: American Journal of Epidemiology
• Volume: 185
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 601–612
• Publication date: 2017-03-03
• Acceptance date: 2016-03-03
• DOI: 10.1093/aje/kww135
• EISSN: 1476-6256
• ISSN: 0002-9262
• Keywords: risk factors; very low birth weight; development; systematic review; research methodology; preterm infants; prognosis; data reporting