Decreased postural control in adolescents born with extremely low birth weight

The survival rates of infants born preterm with extremely low birth weight (ELBW ≤ 1000 g) have
gradually improved over the last decades. However, these infants risk to sustain long‐term disorders
related to poor neurodevelopment. The objective was to determine whether adolescents born with
ELBW have decreased postural control and stability adaptation. Twenty‐nine ELBW subjects
performed posturography with eyes open and closed under unperturbed and perturbed standing by
repeated calf vibration. Their results were compared with twenty‐one age‐ and gender‐matched
controls born after full‐term pregnancy. The ELBW group had significantly decreased stability
compared with controls in anteroposterior direction, both during the easier quiet stance
posturography (p = 0.007) and during balance perturbations (p = 0.007). The ELBW group had similar
stability decrease in lateral direction during balance perturbations (p = 0.013). Statistically, the
stability decreases were similar with eyes closed and open, but proportionally larger with eyes open
in both directions. Both groups manifested significant adaptation (p ≤ 0.023) to the balance
perturbations in anteroposterior direction, though this adaptation process could not compensate for
the general stability deficits caused by ELBW on postural control. Hence, adolescent survivors of
ELBW commonly suffer long‐term deficits in postural control, manifested as use of substantially
more recorded energy on performing stability regulating high‐frequency movements and declined
stability with closed and open eyes both in anteroposterior and lateral direction. The determined
relationship between premature birth and long‐term functional deficits advocates that interventions
should be developed to provide preventive care in neonatal care units and later on in life.