To analyze neurodevelopmental outcome of children born very preterm (born 2012 to 2018) aged 5 years in Vorarlberg, Austria. To identify medical risk factors and compare with (inter)national data.

In this population-based study with prospectively collected data very preterm children underwent neurodevelopmental assessment: Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II) for cognitive functioning, Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC-2) for motor skills, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P) for deficits in behavior and executive functions. Risk factors were identified using multiple linear regression.

The study population (n = 114, 46.5% completed follow-up) showed moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disability (KABC-II IQ score <70), mild (KABC-II IQ score 70–84, M-ABC-2 total score <7, SDQ total score >90th percentile or BRIEF-P Global Executive Function score T >65), and no neurodevelopmental disability in 2.9, 31.4, and 65.7% of the children, respectively. Results were more disadvantageous for children born extremely preterm than for very preterm born children. Regarding risk factors, abnormal hearing screening, male gender, and ICH grades 3–4 were associated with poorer cognitive and motor skills.

In our state-wide cohort of very preterm children, we observed a small proportion of moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disabilities of 2.9%, whereby 65.7% had no disability at 5 years. Disadvantageous outcomes are more pronounced in extremely preterm children.

Patients have been informed that their acquired data are anonymously stored and used for scientific workup.

C.W.: design of the work, acquisition, drafting manuscript, analysis, interpretation of data, approval of final manuscript; V.S.: design of the work, acquisition, drafting manuscript, analysis, interpretation of data, approval of final manuscript; B.F.: acquisition, reviewing, approval of final manuscript; S.G.: acquisition, reviewing, approval of final manuscript; B.S.: conception and design, interpretation of data, reviewing, supervision, approval of final manuscript; K.K.: acquisition, conception and design, interpretation of data, reviewing, supervision, approval of final manuscript.

‡ These authors contributed equally to this article.

Received: 14 February 2025

Accepted: 25 June 2025

Article published online:
14 July 2025

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