Table 1.
Birth, medical and demographic characteristics at randomization
| PI Group N = 72 | PC Group N = 74 | TR Group N = 75 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant characteristics | |||
| BW, mean ± SD, g | 1396 ± 429 | 1381 ± 436 | 3619 ± 490 |
| 400 - 1000 g, n (%) | 20 (28) | 20 (27) | |
| 1001 - 1500 g, n (%) | 15 (21) | 20 (27) | |
| 1501 - 2000 g, n (%) | 37 (51) | 34 (46) | |
| GA, mean ± SD, wk | 30.2 ± 3.1 | 29.9 ± 3.5 | 39.3 ± 1.3 |
| < 28 wk, n (%) | 17 (24) | 19 (27) | |
| 28 - 32 wk, n (%) | 36 (50) | 37 (50) | |
| ≥33 wk, n (%) | 19 (26) | 18 (24) | |
| Boy, n (%) | 38 (53) | 39 (53) | 40 (54) |
| Twin, n (%) | 16 (22) | 14 (19) | 0 |
| SGA | 11 (14) | 10 (13) | |
| Prenatal steroid use, n (%) | 53 (74) | 57 (77) | |
| SNAP II, mean ± SD | 8.3 ± 10.9 | 10.4 ± 11.3 | |
| CRIB score, mean ± SD, N = 85 | 3.2 ± 2.8 | 2.7 ± 2.9 | |
| Received ventilation, n (%) | 29 (40) | 37 (50) | |
| Duration of ventilation, n (%) | 7.0 ± 18.6 | 7.1 ± 17.3 | |
| Postnatal steroid use, n (%) | 9 (13) | 10 (14) | |
| Oxygen therapy at 36 wk GA, n (%) | 11 (15) | 14 (19) | |
| Abnormal cerebral ultrasound, n (%) | |||
| IVH grade 1 or 2 | 7 (10) | 8 (11) | |
| IVH grade 3 or 4 | 3 (4) | 5 (7) | |
| Periventricular leukomalacia | 4 (6) | 8 (11) | |
| Maternal and social characteristics | |||
| Mother’s age, mean ± SD, y | 30.8 ± 6.1 | 29.1 ± 6.4 | 29.7 ± 6.1 |
| Firstborn child, n (%) | 40 (56) | 37 (54) | 27 (37) |
| Mother’s education, mean ± SD,a) | 14.6 ± 2.8 | 13.5 ± 3.2 | 14.9 ± 2.8 |
| Father’s education, mean ± SD,a) | 13.8 ± 3.1 | 13.5 ± 3.2 | 14.4 ± 3.2 |
| Mother’s monthly income,b) | 15.8 ± 7.7 | 14.6 ± 6.7 | 15.9 ± 8.0 |
| Father’s monthly income,b) | 21.1 ± 8.7 | 19.9 ± 8.1 | 21.9 ± 9.8 |
a) = education in years.
b) = in Norwegian 1000 kroner, calculated for 131 families due to 15 twins.
CRIB = Clinical Risk Index for Babies.
IVH = Intraventricular Hemorrhage.
SGA = defined as BW > 2SD below the mean for GA.
SNAP II = Score of Acute Neonatal Physiology II.