Neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants fed an exclusive human milk-based diet versus a mixed human milk + bovine milk-based diet: a multi-center study

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this multi-center study was to compare, in infants ≤1250 g birth weight (BW) with neurodevelopmental assessment at 18–22 months of corrected age (CA), whether their neurodevelopmental outcomes differed based on exposure to an exclusive human milk-based (HUM) or to a bovine milk-based fortifier and/or preterm formula (BOV). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective multi-center cohort study of infants undergoing neurodevelopmental assessment as to whether HUM or BOV exposure related to differences in outcomes of infants at 18–22 months CA, using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III (BSID-III). BSID-III cognitive, language, and motor scores were adjusted for BW, sex, study site, and necrotizing enterocolitis. RESULTS: 252 infants from 6 centers were included. BSID-III cognitive scores were higher in the HUM group (96.5 ± 15.1 vs 89.6 ± 14.1, adjusted p = 0.0001). Mean BSID-III language scores were 85.5 ± 15.0 in HUM and 82.2 ± 14.1 in BOV (adjusted p = 0.09). Mean BSID-III motor scores were 92.9 ± 11.7 in HUM and 91.4 ± 14.6 in BOV (adjusted p = 0.32). CONCLUSION: In this cohort of infants undergoing neurodevelopmental assessment, infants receiving HUM diet had significantly higher cognitive BSID-III scores at 18–22 months CA. Further investigation is needed of this potential for HUM to positively influence infant cognitive outcomes.