Evidence · Systematic review or meta-analysis
Effectiveness of interventions on early neurodevelopment of preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Allied health
- Comfort and nursing care
- Developmental care and positioning
- Family-integrated care
- Medical
- Neurodevelopmental follow-up
- Neurology
- Nursing
Summary
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates interventions started during NICU hospitalisation on the early neurodevelopment of preterm infants born at 24 to 36+6 weeks, assessed during admission and up to two weeks corrected age. Twelve randomised trials involving 901 infants were included, covering NIDCAP, developmental care, parental participation, sensory stimulation, music and physical therapy. Pooled data suggested NIDCAP improved neurobehavioural and neurological development at two weeks corrected age, while parental participation showed no significant benefit; other interventions had mixed or partial effects. Overall evidence quality was low to very low, and the authors call for better-designed, comparable studies.
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- Licence:
- Open (Creative Commons)
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