Application values of 1 H-MRS in the early prediction for nervous system development delayed in preterm infants

LIU Xuming; ZHANG Yanran; WAN Cheng; LIN Da; YU Jie; XIANG Jianyu; ZHOU Lu; QIU Qiande

Abstract：Objective To explore the correlations between the brain metabolites and the development quotient in the preterm infants, thus to provide a important informations for the early diagnosis and prediction of nervous system development delayed in the preterm infants .Methods Total of 45 cases with preterm and 30 cases with full-term underwent 1 H-MRS scan within 1 week of birth to collect their brain metabolite data , including the NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, Lac/Cr, Glx/Cr and MI/Crr.The Gesell examina-tion was performed at postnatal 40~52 weeks.The values of the development quotient and its five functional areas were recorded . The correlations between the brain metabolites and the development quotient were analyzed by Multiple linear regression analysis . Results The value of NAA/Cr in the premature infant was lower than that of the full term infant , the difference was statistically significant ( t =-6.202, P <0.001).The values of Cho/Cr, Lac/Cr and Glx/Cr were higher than that of the full term infant , the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.001).The multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the develop-ment quotient had significant correlations with the values of NAA /Cr and Lac/Cr (determination coefficient was 0.418).Conclu-sion There was significant correlation between the brain metabolites ( NAA and Lac ) in the early 1 H-MRS and the Gesell devel-opmental quotient in the preterm infants suggests that the NAA and Lac may be an early predictive indicator in the nervous system development delayed in the preterm infants .