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Meta-Analysis
. 2019 Jan 29;19(1):35.
doi: 10.1186/s12887-019-1408-8.

Cognitive and motor outcomes in children born low birth weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from South Asia

Ravi Prakash Upadhyay  1 , Gitismita Naik  2 , Tarun Shankar Choudhary  2 , Ranadip Chowdhury  2 , Sunita Taneja  2 , Nita Bhandari  2 , Jose Carlos Martines  3 , Rajiv Bahl  4 , Maharaj Kishan Bhan  5   6
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Cognitive and motor outcomes in children born low birth weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from South Asia

Ravi Prakash Upadhyay et al. BMC Pediatr. .

Abstract

Background: South Asia contributes substantially to global low birth weight population (i.e. those with birth weight < 2500 g). Synthesized evidence is lacking on magnitude of cognitive and motor deficits in low birth weight (LBW) children compared to those with normal birth weight (NBW) (i.e. birth weight ≥ 2500 g). The meta-analysis aimed to generate this essential evidence.

Methods: Literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. Original research articles from south Asia that compared cognitive and/or motor scores among LBW and NBW individuals were included. Weighted mean differences (WMD) and pooled relative risks (RR) were calculated. All analyses were done using STATA 14 software.

Results: Nineteen articles (n = 5999) were included in the analysis. Children < 10 years of age born LBW had lower cognitive (WMD -4.56; 95% CI: -6.38, - 2.74) and motor scores (WMD -4.16; 95% CI: -5.42, - 2.89) compared to children with NBW. Within LBW children, those with birth weight < 2000 g had much lower cognitive (WMD -7.23, 95% CI; - 9.20, - 5.26) and motor scores (WMD -6.45, 95% CI; - 9.64, - 3.27).

Conclusions: In south Asia, children born LBW, especially with < 2000 g birth weight, have substantial cognitive and motor impairment compared to children with NBW. Early child development interventions should lay emphasis to children born LBW.

Keywords: Adolescents; Children; Cognitive score; Low birth weight; Motor score; South Asia.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart depicting the selection process of the article for the meta-analysis
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Overall pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) of cognitive scores from infancy till adolescence in individuals born low birth weight compared to those born with normal birth weight
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) in cognitive scores in children aged < 10 years born with low birth weight, compared to their counterparts with normal birth weight
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) in motor scores in children under-five years of age born low birth weight, compared to those with normal birth weight
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Begg’s graph to examine evidence of publication bias for primary outcomes. a WMD for cognitive score in children aged < 10 yrs.; b WMD for motor score in children aged < 10 yrs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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