Abstract:
Objective
To investigate the correlation between cardiac vagal tone and school-age developmental outcome in very low birth weight infants(VLBWI).
Methods
This study analyzed 60 VLBWI admitted to our neurological intensive care unit(NICU) from May 2007 to May 2010. The respiratory sinus arrhythmia(RSA) maturity scoring was performed at 33 to 35 weeks of gestational age, and other physiological indicators were recorded, to explore its correlation with the developmental outcome at school age.
Results
The school-age developmental outcome was closely related to the developmental outcome at 3 years after birth. Multiple regression analysis showed that the VBAWI RSA maturity was related to the social ability at school age.
Conclusion
RSA measurements can be used to early assess central nervous system self-regulation and predict school-age developmental outcomes.

Key words: Very low birth weight infants, Cardiac vagal tone, School age, Developmental outcome