Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40634120›Full record

ArticleArchives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition2026

Diffuse white matter abnormality is independently predictive of neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Abiot Y Derbie, Leanne Tamm, Beth Kline-Fath, Hailong Li, Karen Harpster, Stephanie L Merhar, Lili He, Mekibib Altaye, Nehal A Parikh

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Abiot Y DerbieNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Leanne TammNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6066-1669
Beth Kline-FathNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Hailong LiNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Karen HarpsterNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Stephanie L MerharNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Lili HeNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Mekibib AltayeNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Nehal A ParikhNeurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA nehal.parikh@cchmc.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1375-1247

Funding

A New Model to Identify Preterm Neonates at High-Risk for Cognitive Impairments and School ReadinessR01NS094200 · NINDS · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI NEHAL A. PARIKH · 2016 to 2026
$6.7M
Early Prediction of Cerebral Palsy in Premature Infants using Advanced MRI BiomarkersR01NS096037 · NINDS · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI PARIKH, NEHAL A. · 2016 to 2020
$2.2M
MRI and Deep Learning for Early Prediction of Neurodevelopmental Deficits in Very Preterm InfantsR01EB029944 · NIBIB · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI HE, LILI · 2020 to 2023
$2.1M
NIBIB NIH HHS R01 EB029944NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS094200NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS096037
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate diffuse white matter abnormality (DWMA) volume at term-equivalent age as an independent predictor of neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. STUDY

designIn this multicentre prospective cohort study, 392 preterm infants (≤32 weeks' gestation) underwent term-equivalent MRI with automated DWMA quantification. The primary outcome was cognitive function at 3 years corrected age using the Differential Ability Scales-II General Conceptual Ability (GCA) score. Secondary outcomes included motor function (Bayley-III) and cerebral palsy (CP) at 2 years. Multivariable regression analysed DWMA's prognostic value.

resultsFollow-up was available for 89% (GCA) and 87% (Bayley-III/CP) of participants (mean gestational age 29 (SD: 2.5 weeks). Mean GCA was 94 (20.2); Bayley motor composite was 93 (14.5). CP was diagnosed in 12% of children (28 Gross Motor Function Classification System level I, six level II and III and five level IV and V). Higher DWMA volume independently predicted lower cognitive (β=-1.9; 95% CI -3.7 to -0.1), though only marginally over existing predictors (p=0.04), and motor scores (β=-2.0; 95% CI -3.3 to -0.7; p=0.003) and increased CP risk (adjusted OR=1.7; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.4; p=0.003) after controlling for clinical and socioeconomic factors. Socioeconomic disadvantages have amplified DWMA's adverse effects.

conclusionsThis first external validation study demonstrates that objective DWMA quantification independently predicts multiple developmental outcomes through age 3 in preterm infants. The findings validate DWMA's pathological significance and support its utility as an early biomarker for risk stratification and targeted intervention.

Indexed as

Infant, PrematureNeurodevelopmental DisordersWhite MatterCerebral PalsyChild, PreschoolFemaleGestational AgeHumansInfant, NewbornMagnetic Resonance ImagingMalePrognosisProspective StudiesFollow-Up StudiesInfant DevelopmentNeonatologyNeurologyPaediatrics

Identifiers

PMID40634120
PMCPMC12795257

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.