• YoungAh Youn, Soon Min Lee, Jong-Hee Hwang, Su Jin Cho, Ee-Kyung Kim, Ellen Ai-Rhan Kim, and Korean Neonatal Network.
• Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
• J. Korean Med. Sci. 2018 Nov 26; 33 (48): e309.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to observe long-term outcomes of very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) born between 2013 and 2014 in Korea, especially focusing on neurodevelopmental outcomes.MethodsThe data were collected from Korean Neonatal Network (KNN) registry from 43 and 54 participating units in 2013 and 2014, respectively. A standardized electronic case report form containing 30 items related to long-term follow up was used after data validation.ResultsOf 2,660 VLBWI, the mean gestational age and birth weight were 291/7 ± 26/7 weeks and 1,093 ± 268 g in 2013 and 292/7 ± 26/7 weeks and 1,125 ± 261 g in 2014, respectively. The post-discharge mortality rate was 1.2%-1.5%. Weight < 50th percentile was 46.5% in 2013 and 66.1% in 2014. The overall prevalence of cerebral palsy among the follow up infants was 6.2% in 2013 and 6.6% in 2014. The Bayley Scales of Infant Developmental Outcomes version II showed 14%-25% of infants had developmental delay and 3%-8% of infants in Bayley version III. For the Korean developmental screening test for infants and children, the area "Further evaluation needed" was 5%-12%. Blindness in both eyes was reported to be 0.2%-0.3%. For hearing impairment, 0.8%-1.9% showed bilateral hearing loss. Almost 50% were readmitted to hospital with respiratory illness as a leading cause.ConclusionThe overall prevalence of long-term outcomes was not largely different among the VLBWI born between 2013 and 2014. This study is the first large national data study of long-term outcomes.

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