Abstract
Background Only a few studies have been conducted with the objective of creating norms of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) for the assessment of gross motor development of preterm infants. The AIMS performance of preterm infants has been compared with that of the Canadian norms of full-term infants, but not with that of full-term infants of the same nationality. Moreover, the possible impact of prematurity-related morbidity factors on AIMS performance is unknown.
Objectives The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate AIMS trajectory in a large population of Greek preterm infants and create norms, (2) to compare it with the AIMS trajectory of Greek full-term infants, and (3) to examine the possible influence of neonatal morbidity on AIMS scores in the preterm sample.
Design This was a cross-sectional study.
Methods Mean AIMS scores were compared, per month (1–19), between 403 preterm infants (≤32 weeks of age, corrected for prematurity) and 1,038 full-term infants. In preterm infants, the association of AIMS scores with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) of grade ≤III, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and sepsis was assessed by hierarchical regression analysis.
Results Alberta Infant Motor Scale scores were significantly lower in preterm infants than in full-term infants. Mean AIMS scores in preterm infants were significantly associated with RDS (b=−1.93; 95% CI=−2.70, −1.16), IVH (b=−0.97; 95% CI=−1.69, −0.25), and ROP (b=−1.12; 95% CI=−1.99, −0.24) but not with BPD or sepsis in hierarchical regression analysis.
Conclusions Alberta Infant Motor Scale norms were created for Greek preterm infants. This study confirms that AIMS trajectories of preterm infants are below those of full-term infants of the same nationality. The influence of morbidity factors, including RDS, IVH, and ROP, should be taken into account when administering the AIMS in preterm infants.
Footnotes
Mr Syrengelas and Dr Siahanidou provided concept/idea/research design and writing. Mr Syrengelas, Mrs Kleisiouni, Mrs Manta, and Dr Mellos provided data collection. Mr Syrengelas, Mrs Kalampoki, and Dr Siahanidou provided data analysis. Mr Syrengelas provided project management and facilities/equipment. Dr Siahanidou provided participants. Mrs Kleisiouni, Mrs Manta, Dr Mellos, Dr Pons, Dr Chrousos, and Dr Siahanidou provided consultation (including review of manuscript before submission).
The aims and design of the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital.
- Received November 11, 2014.
- Accepted November 22, 2015.
- © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association
Issue highlights
