David Odd - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by David Odd

Research paper thumbnail of Association between neonatal resuscitation and a single nucleotide polymorphism rs1835740

Research paper thumbnail of Paediatric ED reattendance rates: comparing nurse practitioners and other clinicians

Emergency Medicine Journal, 2014

The aim of this project is to establish the unplanned reattendance rate for paediatric emergency ... more The aim of this project is to establish the unplanned reattendance rate for paediatric emergency nurse practitioners (PENPs) working in a designated paediatric emergency department (PED) while identifying the case mix of patients seen by PENPs compared with their medical counterparts. Quantitative data regarding patient characteristics and reattendance were collected during retrospective review of case notes across two representative 2-week periods. The study site is a tertiary urban PED with an annual attendance of 32 000 patients aged from birth to 15 years. Reattendance rates, patient characteristics, triage scores, presenting complaint and numbers of patients discussed with a paediatric emergency medicine consultant were evaluated. The results showed that PENPs have a lower reattendance rate (1.75%) when compared with senior and junior doctors in training (4.29%, 5.76%); however, PENPs treat a different population of children. When the odds of PENP reattendance are adjusted for this, the significance of the difference becomes less certain. PENPs work autonomously when seeing children presenting with minor trauma and make a positive contribution in achieving the reattendance Clinical Quality Indicator.

Research paper thumbnail of Postnatal phenobarbital for the prevention of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants

Cohrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is a major complication of preterm birth. Large haemorrhages a... more Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is a major complication of preterm birth. Large haemorrhages are associated with a high risk of disability and hydrocephalus. Instability of blood pressure and cerebral blood flow are postulated as causative factors. Another mechanism may involve reperfusion damage from oxygen free radicals. Phenobarbital has been suggested as a safe treatment that stabilises blood pressure and may protect against free radicals. To determine the effect of postnatal administration of phenobarbital on the risk of IVH, neurodevelopmental impairment or death in preterm infants. We used the search strategy of the Neonatal Collaborative Review Group. The original review author (A Whitelaw) was an active trialist in this area and had personal contact with many groups in this field. He handsearched journals from 1976 (when cranial computed tomography (CT) scanning started) to October 2000; these included: Pediatrics, Journal of Pediatrics, Archives of Disease in Childhood, Pediatric Research, Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, Acta Paediatrica, European Journal of Pediatrics, Neuropediatrics, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet and British Medical Journal. We searched the National Library of Medicine (USA) database (via PubMed) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, 2012, Issue 10) through to 31 October 2012. We did not limit the searches to the English language, as long as the article included an English abstract. We read identified articles in the original language or translated. We included randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials in which phenobarbital was given to preterm infants identified as being at risk of IVH because of gestational age below 34 weeks, birthweight below 1500 g or respiratory failure. Adequate determination of IVH by ultrasound or CT was also required. In addition to details of patient selection and control of bias, we extracted the details of the administration of phenobarbital. We searched for the following endpoints: IVH (with grading), posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilation or hydrocephalus, neurodevelopmental impairment and death. In addition, we searched for possible adverse effects of phenobarbitone, for example hypotension, mechanical ventilation, pneumothorax, hypercapnia and acidosis. We included 12 controlled trials that recruited 982 infants. There was heterogeneity between trials for the outcome IVH, with three trials finding a significant decrease in IVH and one trial finding an increase in IVH in the group receiving phenobarbital. Meta-analysis showed no difference between the phenobarbital-treated group and the control group in either all IVH (typical risk ratio (RR) 0.91; 95% CI 0.77 to 1.08), severe IVH (typical RR 0.77; 95% CI 0.58 to 1.04), posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilation (typical RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.38 to 2.08), severe neurodevelopmental impairment (typical RR 1.44; 95% CI 0.41 to 5.04) or death before hospital discharge (typical RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.64 to 1.21). There was a consistent trend in the trials towards increased use of mechanical ventilation in the phenobarbital-treated group, which was supported by the meta-analysis (typical RR 1.18; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.32; typical risk difference 0.129; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.21), but there was no significant difference in pneumothorax, acidosis or hypercapnia. Postnatal administration of phenobarbital cannot be recommended as prophylaxis to prevent IVH in preterm infants and is associated with an increased need for mechanical ventilation.

Research paper thumbnail of Superior vena cava flow and intraventricular haemorrhage in extremely preterm infants

The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, Jan 26, 2015

To evaluate the relationship between superior vena cava flow (SVCF) measurements within the first... more To evaluate the relationship between superior vena cava flow (SVCF) measurements within the first 24 h of life, and development of intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) in extremely preterm infants. Single centre retrospective cohort study of 108 preterm infants born less than 28 weeks' gestation. Main outcome measure was degree of IVH at day 7 postnatal age. The mean GA of the study group was 25.4 weeks. Mean SVCF was lower (75 ml/kg/min) in infants later diagnosed with IVH (n = 46) compared to infants, who did not develop IVH (87.7 ml/kg/min, p = 0.055). PDA diameter was inversely associated with SVCF (p = 0.024) and reversal of flow in the descending aorta (p = 0.001). Sensitivity analysis did not confirm an independent association of SVCF with development of IVH [OR 0.990 (0.978-1.002), p = 0.115]. Our study describes early SVCF in extremely preterm infants is associated with the extent of ductal shunting, but insensitive in predicting IVH.

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of three closely located single nucleotide polymorphisms in the EAAT2 promoter: comparison of single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP), pyrosequencing and Sanger sequencing

Research paper thumbnail of Diuretic therapy for newborn infants with posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation

Research paper thumbnail of Intraventricular streptokinase after intraventricular hemorrhage in newborn infants

Research paper thumbnail of non-clinical psychotic symptoms at age 12 in the ALSPAC birth cohort

Research paper thumbnail of Risk of low Apgar scores and socioeconomic status over a 30-year period

Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of associations between social factors, as... more The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of associations between social factors, as assessed by maternal occupation and education, and poor birth condition (an Apgar score of below 7 at 1 and 5 minutes) over a 30-year period in Sweden. The dataset was based on infants born in Sweden between 1973 and 2002. Poor birth condition was defined as an Apgar score below 7 at 1 and 5 minutes. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association of between socioeconomic status and poor birth condition. In the adjusted model, mothers in non-manual occupations (OR 0.91 (0.88, 0.95)) or with higher educational status (OR 0.88 (0.84, 0.93)) were less likely to have an infant born in poor condition than the reference group. Limiting the analysis to the last decade showed less evidence for an association (OR 0.94 (0.86, 1.02) and OR 0.94 (0.82, 1.09), respectively). While maternity, delivery and child healthcare are free of charge in Sweden, poor birth condition was more common among infants of mothers in manual occupations or low levels of education. However, this association appeared to attenuate over the calendar period studied.

Research paper thumbnail of Resuscitation at birth and cognition at 8 years of age: a cohort study

Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Preterm Birth, Age at School Entry and Educational Performance

PLoS ONE, 2013

To investigate if the lack of gestational age correction may explain some of the school failure s... more To investigate if the lack of gestational age correction may explain some of the school failure seen in ex-preterm infants. A cohort study based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The primary outcome was a low Key Stage 1 score (KS1) score at age 7 or having special educational needs (SEN). Exposure groups were defined as preterm (<37 weeks gestation, n = 722) or term (37-42 weeks, n = 11,268). Conditional regression models were derived, matching preterm to term infants on date of birth (DOB), expected date of delivery (EDD) or expected date of delivery and year of school entry. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing covariate data. When matching for DOB, infants born preterm had an increased odds of a low KS1 score (OR 1.73 (1.45-2.06)) and this association persisted after adjusting for potential confounders (OR 1.57 (1.25-1.97)). The association persisted in the analysis matching for EDD (fully adjusted OR 1.53 (1.21-1.94)) but attenuated substantially after additionally restricting to those infants who entered school at the same time as the control infants (fully adjusted OR 1.25 (0.98-1.60)). A compatible reduction in the population attributable risk fraction was seen from 4.60% to 2.12%, and year of school entry appeared to modify the association between gestational age and the risk of a poor KS1 score (p = 0.029). This study provides evidence that the school year placement and assessment of ex-preterm infants based on their actual birthday (rather than their EDD) may increase their risk of learning difficulties with corresponding school failure.

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term Impact of Poor Birth Condition on Social and Economic Outcomes in Early Adulthood

Research paper thumbnail of High incidence of nephrocalcinosis in extremely preterm infants treated with dexamethasone

Pediatric Radiology, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of Variation in identifying neonatal percutaneous central venous line position

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of A randomized trial of two dexamethasone regimens to reduce side-effects in infants treated for chronic lung disease of prematurity

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term cognitive outcomes of infants born moderately and late preterm

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2012

To investigate whether infants born late preterm have poorer cognitive outcomes than term-born in... more To investigate whether infants born late preterm have poorer cognitive outcomes than term-born infants. A cohort study based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Cognitive measures were assessed between the ages of 8 and 11 years. Exposure groups were defined as moderate/late preterm (32-36 weeks' gestation) or term (37-42 wk). Regression models were used to investigate the association between gestational age and IQ. Seven hundred and forty-one infants (5.4% of total eligible population; 422 males, 319 females; mean (SD) birthweight 2495 g [489]) were born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation. The analysis was based on 6957 infants with IQ data at age 11 (50% of eligible infants). In the adjusted model, children born moderately and late preterm had similar IQ scores to peers born at term (mean difference [95% confidence interval] -0.18 [-1.88 to 1.52]). However, the preterm infants had a higher risk of having special educational needs at school (odds ratio 1.56 [1.18-2.07]). Despite an increased risk of special educational needs, there is little evidence of a reduction in IQ, memory, or attention measures at school age in children born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation. Although interpretation is limited by the amount of missing data, further work is needed to identify why these infants have increased educational needs.

Research paper thumbnail of Does radio-opaque contrast improve radiographic localisation of percutaneous central venous lines?

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of A cohort study of low Apgar scores and cognitive outcomes

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 2007

To investigate the association of brief (0-5 minutes) and prolonged (>5 minutes) low Apgar... more To investigate the association of brief (0-5 minutes) and prolonged (>5 minutes) low Apgar scores (<7) in non-encephalopathic infants with educational achievement at age 15-16 and intelligence quotients (IQs) at age 18. Population-based record-linkage cohort study of 176 524 male infants born throughout Sweden between 1973 and 1976. Data from the Medical Birth Register were linked to Population and Housing Censuses, conscription medical records (IQ), and school registers (summary school grade). Infants were classified according to the time for their Apgar score to reach 7 or above. Premature infants and those with encephalopathy were excluded. Infants with brief (OR = 1.14 (1.03-1.27)) or prolonged (OR = 1.35 (1.07-1.69)) low Apgar scores were more likely to have a low IQ score. There was an increased risk of a low IQ score (p = 0.003) the longer it took the infant to achieve a normal Apgar score. There was no association between brief (OR = 0.96 (0.87-1.06)) or prolonged (OR = 1.01 (0.81-1.26)) low Apgar scores and a low summary school grade at age 15-16, or evidence for a trend in the risk of a low school grade (p = 0.61). The estimated proportion with an IQ score below 81 due to transiently low Apgar scores was only 0.7%. Infants in poor condition at birth have increased risk of poor functioning in cognitive tests in later life. This supports the idea of a "continuum of reproductive casualty", although the small individual effect suggests that these mild degrees of fetal compromise are not of clinical importance.

Research paper thumbnail of Early school attainment in late-preterm infants

Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2012

To investigate whether infants born late-preterm have poorer school attainment compared to those ... more To investigate whether infants born late-preterm have poorer school attainment compared to those born at term. This study used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Key stage one (KS1) school assessment results were obtained from local education authorities. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the effect of gestation, that is, late-preterm (32-36 weeks) versus term (37-41 weeks), on success in KS1 teacher assessments. Regression models were adjusted for potential confounders, including maternal education and markers of socioeconomic status. There were 12 089 term infants and 734 late-preterm infants. 71% of late-preterm children were successful in KS1 assessments compared to 79% of those born at term (OR 0.64 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.78); p<0.001). This difference persisted on adjusting for potential confounders (OR 0.74 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.92); p=0.007). Children born late-preterm are less likely to be successful in early school assessments than those born at term. This group of vulnerable children warrants closer surveillance for early identification of potential educational failure.

Research paper thumbnail of The association between birth condition and neuropsychological functioning and educational attainment at school age: a cohort study

Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Association between neonatal resuscitation and a single nucleotide polymorphism rs1835740

Research paper thumbnail of Paediatric ED reattendance rates: comparing nurse practitioners and other clinicians

Emergency Medicine Journal, 2014

The aim of this project is to establish the unplanned reattendance rate for paediatric emergency ... more The aim of this project is to establish the unplanned reattendance rate for paediatric emergency nurse practitioners (PENPs) working in a designated paediatric emergency department (PED) while identifying the case mix of patients seen by PENPs compared with their medical counterparts. Quantitative data regarding patient characteristics and reattendance were collected during retrospective review of case notes across two representative 2-week periods. The study site is a tertiary urban PED with an annual attendance of 32 000 patients aged from birth to 15 years. Reattendance rates, patient characteristics, triage scores, presenting complaint and numbers of patients discussed with a paediatric emergency medicine consultant were evaluated. The results showed that PENPs have a lower reattendance rate (1.75%) when compared with senior and junior doctors in training (4.29%, 5.76%); however, PENPs treat a different population of children. When the odds of PENP reattendance are adjusted for this, the significance of the difference becomes less certain. PENPs work autonomously when seeing children presenting with minor trauma and make a positive contribution in achieving the reattendance Clinical Quality Indicator.

Research paper thumbnail of Postnatal phenobarbital for the prevention of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants

Cohrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is a major complication of preterm birth. Large haemorrhages a... more Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is a major complication of preterm birth. Large haemorrhages are associated with a high risk of disability and hydrocephalus. Instability of blood pressure and cerebral blood flow are postulated as causative factors. Another mechanism may involve reperfusion damage from oxygen free radicals. Phenobarbital has been suggested as a safe treatment that stabilises blood pressure and may protect against free radicals. To determine the effect of postnatal administration of phenobarbital on the risk of IVH, neurodevelopmental impairment or death in preterm infants. We used the search strategy of the Neonatal Collaborative Review Group. The original review author (A Whitelaw) was an active trialist in this area and had personal contact with many groups in this field. He handsearched journals from 1976 (when cranial computed tomography (CT) scanning started) to October 2000; these included: Pediatrics, Journal of Pediatrics, Archives of Disease in Childhood, Pediatric Research, Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, Acta Paediatrica, European Journal of Pediatrics, Neuropediatrics, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet and British Medical Journal. We searched the National Library of Medicine (USA) database (via PubMed) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, 2012, Issue 10) through to 31 October 2012. We did not limit the searches to the English language, as long as the article included an English abstract. We read identified articles in the original language or translated. We included randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials in which phenobarbital was given to preterm infants identified as being at risk of IVH because of gestational age below 34 weeks, birthweight below 1500 g or respiratory failure. Adequate determination of IVH by ultrasound or CT was also required. In addition to details of patient selection and control of bias, we extracted the details of the administration of phenobarbital. We searched for the following endpoints: IVH (with grading), posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilation or hydrocephalus, neurodevelopmental impairment and death. In addition, we searched for possible adverse effects of phenobarbitone, for example hypotension, mechanical ventilation, pneumothorax, hypercapnia and acidosis. We included 12 controlled trials that recruited 982 infants. There was heterogeneity between trials for the outcome IVH, with three trials finding a significant decrease in IVH and one trial finding an increase in IVH in the group receiving phenobarbital. Meta-analysis showed no difference between the phenobarbital-treated group and the control group in either all IVH (typical risk ratio (RR) 0.91; 95% CI 0.77 to 1.08), severe IVH (typical RR 0.77; 95% CI 0.58 to 1.04), posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilation (typical RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.38 to 2.08), severe neurodevelopmental impairment (typical RR 1.44; 95% CI 0.41 to 5.04) or death before hospital discharge (typical RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.64 to 1.21). There was a consistent trend in the trials towards increased use of mechanical ventilation in the phenobarbital-treated group, which was supported by the meta-analysis (typical RR 1.18; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.32; typical risk difference 0.129; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.21), but there was no significant difference in pneumothorax, acidosis or hypercapnia. Postnatal administration of phenobarbital cannot be recommended as prophylaxis to prevent IVH in preterm infants and is associated with an increased need for mechanical ventilation.

Research paper thumbnail of Superior vena cava flow and intraventricular haemorrhage in extremely preterm infants

The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, Jan 26, 2015

To evaluate the relationship between superior vena cava flow (SVCF) measurements within the first... more To evaluate the relationship between superior vena cava flow (SVCF) measurements within the first 24 h of life, and development of intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) in extremely preterm infants. Single centre retrospective cohort study of 108 preterm infants born less than 28 weeks' gestation. Main outcome measure was degree of IVH at day 7 postnatal age. The mean GA of the study group was 25.4 weeks. Mean SVCF was lower (75 ml/kg/min) in infants later diagnosed with IVH (n = 46) compared to infants, who did not develop IVH (87.7 ml/kg/min, p = 0.055). PDA diameter was inversely associated with SVCF (p = 0.024) and reversal of flow in the descending aorta (p = 0.001). Sensitivity analysis did not confirm an independent association of SVCF with development of IVH [OR 0.990 (0.978-1.002), p = 0.115]. Our study describes early SVCF in extremely preterm infants is associated with the extent of ductal shunting, but insensitive in predicting IVH.

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of three closely located single nucleotide polymorphisms in the EAAT2 promoter: comparison of single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP), pyrosequencing and Sanger sequencing

Research paper thumbnail of Diuretic therapy for newborn infants with posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation

Research paper thumbnail of Intraventricular streptokinase after intraventricular hemorrhage in newborn infants

Research paper thumbnail of non-clinical psychotic symptoms at age 12 in the ALSPAC birth cohort

Research paper thumbnail of Risk of low Apgar scores and socioeconomic status over a 30-year period

Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of associations between social factors, as... more The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of associations between social factors, as assessed by maternal occupation and education, and poor birth condition (an Apgar score of below 7 at 1 and 5 minutes) over a 30-year period in Sweden. The dataset was based on infants born in Sweden between 1973 and 2002. Poor birth condition was defined as an Apgar score below 7 at 1 and 5 minutes. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association of between socioeconomic status and poor birth condition. In the adjusted model, mothers in non-manual occupations (OR 0.91 (0.88, 0.95)) or with higher educational status (OR 0.88 (0.84, 0.93)) were less likely to have an infant born in poor condition than the reference group. Limiting the analysis to the last decade showed less evidence for an association (OR 0.94 (0.86, 1.02) and OR 0.94 (0.82, 1.09), respectively). While maternity, delivery and child healthcare are free of charge in Sweden, poor birth condition was more common among infants of mothers in manual occupations or low levels of education. However, this association appeared to attenuate over the calendar period studied.

Research paper thumbnail of Resuscitation at birth and cognition at 8 years of age: a cohort study

Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Preterm Birth, Age at School Entry and Educational Performance

PLoS ONE, 2013

To investigate if the lack of gestational age correction may explain some of the school failure s... more To investigate if the lack of gestational age correction may explain some of the school failure seen in ex-preterm infants. A cohort study based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The primary outcome was a low Key Stage 1 score (KS1) score at age 7 or having special educational needs (SEN). Exposure groups were defined as preterm (<37 weeks gestation, n = 722) or term (37-42 weeks, n = 11,268). Conditional regression models were derived, matching preterm to term infants on date of birth (DOB), expected date of delivery (EDD) or expected date of delivery and year of school entry. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing covariate data. When matching for DOB, infants born preterm had an increased odds of a low KS1 score (OR 1.73 (1.45-2.06)) and this association persisted after adjusting for potential confounders (OR 1.57 (1.25-1.97)). The association persisted in the analysis matching for EDD (fully adjusted OR 1.53 (1.21-1.94)) but attenuated substantially after additionally restricting to those infants who entered school at the same time as the control infants (fully adjusted OR 1.25 (0.98-1.60)). A compatible reduction in the population attributable risk fraction was seen from 4.60% to 2.12%, and year of school entry appeared to modify the association between gestational age and the risk of a poor KS1 score (p = 0.029). This study provides evidence that the school year placement and assessment of ex-preterm infants based on their actual birthday (rather than their EDD) may increase their risk of learning difficulties with corresponding school failure.

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term Impact of Poor Birth Condition on Social and Economic Outcomes in Early Adulthood

Research paper thumbnail of High incidence of nephrocalcinosis in extremely preterm infants treated with dexamethasone

Pediatric Radiology, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of Variation in identifying neonatal percutaneous central venous line position

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of A randomized trial of two dexamethasone regimens to reduce side-effects in infants treated for chronic lung disease of prematurity

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term cognitive outcomes of infants born moderately and late preterm

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2012

To investigate whether infants born late preterm have poorer cognitive outcomes than term-born in... more To investigate whether infants born late preterm have poorer cognitive outcomes than term-born infants. A cohort study based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Cognitive measures were assessed between the ages of 8 and 11 years. Exposure groups were defined as moderate/late preterm (32-36 weeks' gestation) or term (37-42 wk). Regression models were used to investigate the association between gestational age and IQ. Seven hundred and forty-one infants (5.4% of total eligible population; 422 males, 319 females; mean (SD) birthweight 2495 g [489]) were born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation. The analysis was based on 6957 infants with IQ data at age 11 (50% of eligible infants). In the adjusted model, children born moderately and late preterm had similar IQ scores to peers born at term (mean difference [95% confidence interval] -0.18 [-1.88 to 1.52]). However, the preterm infants had a higher risk of having special educational needs at school (odds ratio 1.56 [1.18-2.07]). Despite an increased risk of special educational needs, there is little evidence of a reduction in IQ, memory, or attention measures at school age in children born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation. Although interpretation is limited by the amount of missing data, further work is needed to identify why these infants have increased educational needs.

Research paper thumbnail of Does radio-opaque contrast improve radiographic localisation of percutaneous central venous lines?

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 2004

Research paper thumbnail of A cohort study of low Apgar scores and cognitive outcomes

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 2007

To investigate the association of brief (0-5 minutes) and prolonged (>5 minutes) low Apgar... more To investigate the association of brief (0-5 minutes) and prolonged (>5 minutes) low Apgar scores (<7) in non-encephalopathic infants with educational achievement at age 15-16 and intelligence quotients (IQs) at age 18. Population-based record-linkage cohort study of 176 524 male infants born throughout Sweden between 1973 and 1976. Data from the Medical Birth Register were linked to Population and Housing Censuses, conscription medical records (IQ), and school registers (summary school grade). Infants were classified according to the time for their Apgar score to reach 7 or above. Premature infants and those with encephalopathy were excluded. Infants with brief (OR = 1.14 (1.03-1.27)) or prolonged (OR = 1.35 (1.07-1.69)) low Apgar scores were more likely to have a low IQ score. There was an increased risk of a low IQ score (p = 0.003) the longer it took the infant to achieve a normal Apgar score. There was no association between brief (OR = 0.96 (0.87-1.06)) or prolonged (OR = 1.01 (0.81-1.26)) low Apgar scores and a low summary school grade at age 15-16, or evidence for a trend in the risk of a low school grade (p = 0.61). The estimated proportion with an IQ score below 81 due to transiently low Apgar scores was only 0.7%. Infants in poor condition at birth have increased risk of poor functioning in cognitive tests in later life. This supports the idea of a "continuum of reproductive casualty", although the small individual effect suggests that these mild degrees of fetal compromise are not of clinical importance.

Research paper thumbnail of Early school attainment in late-preterm infants

Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2012

To investigate whether infants born late-preterm have poorer school attainment compared to those ... more To investigate whether infants born late-preterm have poorer school attainment compared to those born at term. This study used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Key stage one (KS1) school assessment results were obtained from local education authorities. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the effect of gestation, that is, late-preterm (32-36 weeks) versus term (37-41 weeks), on success in KS1 teacher assessments. Regression models were adjusted for potential confounders, including maternal education and markers of socioeconomic status. There were 12 089 term infants and 734 late-preterm infants. 71% of late-preterm children were successful in KS1 assessments compared to 79% of those born at term (OR 0.64 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.78); p<0.001). This difference persisted on adjusting for potential confounders (OR 0.74 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.92); p=0.007). Children born late-preterm are less likely to be successful in early school assessments than those born at term. This group of vulnerable children warrants closer surveillance for early identification of potential educational failure.

Research paper thumbnail of The association between birth condition and neuropsychological functioning and educational attainment at school age: a cohort study

Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2011