Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2010 Dec;126(6):1132-40.
doi: 10.1542/peds.2010-1824. Epub 2010 Nov 22.

Survival and morbidity outcomes for very low birth weight infants with Down syndrome

Nansi S Boghossian  1 , Nellie I Hansen, Edward F Bell, Barbara J Stoll, Jeffrey C Murray, Abbot R Laptook, Seetha Shankaran, Michele C Walsh, Abhik Das, Rosemary D Higgins; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network
Collaborators, Affiliations
Comparative Study

Survival and morbidity outcomes for very low birth weight infants with Down syndrome

Nansi S Boghossian et al. Pediatrics. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: Our objective was to compare survival and neonatal morbidity rates between very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with Down syndrome (DS) and VLBW infants with non-DS chromosomal anomalies, nonchromosomal birth defects (BDs), and no chromosomal anomaly or major BD.

Methods: Data were collected prospectively for infants weighing 401 to 1500 g who were born and/or cared for at one of the study centers participating in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network in 1994-2008. Risk of death and morbidities, including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), late-onset sepsis (LOS), retinopathy of prematurity, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), were compared between VLBW infants with DS and infants in the other groups.

Results: Infants with DS were at increased risk of death (adjusted relative risk: 2.47 [95% confidence interval: 2.00-3.07]), PDA, NEC, LOS, and BPD, relative to infants with no BDs. Decreased risk of death (relative risk: 0.40 [95% confidence interval: 0.31-0.52]) and increased risks of NEC and LOS were observed when infants with DS were compared with infants with other non-DS chromosomal anomalies. Relative to infants with nonchromosomal BDs, infants with DS were at increased risk of PDA and NEC.

Conclusion: The increased risk of morbidities among VLBW infants with DS provides useful information for counseling parents and for anticipating the need for enhanced surveillance for prevention of these morbidities.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Sherman SL, Allen EG, Bean LH, Freeman SB. Epidemiology of Down syndrome. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2007;13(3):221–227. - PubMed
    1. Zorick TS, Mustacchi Z, Bando SY, et al. High serum endostatin levels in Down syndrome: Implications for improved treatment and prevention of solid tumours. Eur J Hum Genet. 2001;9(11):811–814. - PubMed
    1. Ryoo SR, Jeong HK, Radnaabazar C, et al. DYRK1A-mediated hyperphosphorylation of Tau. A functional link between Down syndrome and Alzheimer disease. J Biol Chem. 2007;282(48):34850–34857. - PubMed
    1. Murdoch JC, Rodger JC, Rao SS, Fletcher CD, Dunnigan MG. Down’s syndrome: an atheroma-free model? Br Med J. 1977;2(6081):226–228. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Fulcher T, Griffin M, Crowley S, Firth R, Acheson R, O’Meara N. Diabetic retinopathy in Down’s syndrome. Br J Ophthalmol. 1998;82(4):407–409. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Grants and funding