J Clin Med Res

Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.jocmr.org

Original Article

Volume 3, Number 6, December 2011, pages 285-290

Assessment of Primitive Reflexes in High-risk Newborns

**Table 1.** Clinical Information of the 63 Newborns
	Frequency (%)	Mean (SD)	Range
The data of three newborns were missing; *the examples of pathologic risk group include respiratory distress syndrome, transient tachypnea of the newborn or intrauterine growth retardation.
Apgar score
at 1 min		5.8 (2.1)	1-9
at 5 min		7.6 (1.8)	1-10
Length of hospitalization (day)		27.5 (24.5)	5-124
Brain sonogram*
Normal	32 (50.0)
Grade 1	21 (32.8)
Grade 2	2 (3.1)
Grade 3	2 (3.1)
Grade 4	3 (4.7)
Respiration
Self only	45 (71.4)
Self with assist	10 (15.9)
Ventilator	8 (12.7)
Preterm birth
Yes	50 (74.6)
No	13 (25.4)
Risk group
Physiologic	22 (34.9)
Pathologic**	41 (65.1)
ABSS		3.6 (3.4)	1-12
ICS		9.7 (1.9)	4-13

Table 1. Clinical Information of the 63 Newborns

Frequency (%)

Mean (SD)

Range

*The data of three newborns were missing; **the examples of pathologic risk group include respiratory distress syndrome, transient tachypnea of the newborn or intrauterine growth retardation.

Apgar score

at 1 min

5.8 (2.1)

1-9

at 5 min

7.6 (1.8)

1-10

Length of hospitalization (day)

27.5 (24.5)

5-124

Brain sonogram*

Normal

32 (50.0)

Grade 1

21 (32.8)

Grade 2

2 (3.1)

Grade 3

2 (3.1)

Grade 4

3 (4.7)

Respiration

Self only

45 (71.4)

Self with assist

10 (15.9)

Ventilator

8 (12.7)

Preterm birth

Yes

50 (74.6)

13 (25.4)

Risk group

Physiologic

22 (34.9)

Pathologic**

41 (65.1)

ABSS

3.6 (3.4)

1-12

ICS

9.7 (1.9)

4-13

**Table 2.** Mean Difference of Continuous Clinical Variables by Primitive Reflex Reponses With ANOVA Analysis
	Sucking reflex	Moro reflex	Babinski reflex
GA: Gestational age; ABSS: the Anderson Behavioral State Scale; ICS: the Infant Coma Scale; LOH: length of hospitalization; ANOVA analysis between current age and reflexes was removed due to no association.
GA
Normal^a	34.6 (3.0)	33.9 (3.3)	34.5 (2.9)
Abnormal^b	33.0 (3.4)	33.3 (3.7)	32.8 (3.8)
Absent^c	31.2 (3.9)	33.7 (3.0)	30.7 (2.7)
F (P)	6.60 (0.002)	0.20 (0.822)	4.14 (0.021)
Bonferroni	a > c	—	a > c
Birth weight
Normal^a	2291.8 (647.8)	2065.5 (734.2)	2304.1 (686.2)
Abnormal^b	1818.6 (667.2)	2022.3 (744.1)	1720.8 (569.1)
Absent^c	1514.1 (553.2)	2026.7 (614.6)	1447.8 (507.1)
F (P)	9.27 (< 0.001)	0.03 (0.974)	7.94 (0.001)
Bonferroni	a > c	—	a > b, c
Current weight
Normal^a	2191.3 (674.5)	2012.3 (750.6)	2189.3 (721.2)
Abnormal^b	1799.7 (694.8)	1988.6 (750.2)	1704.9 (609.8)
Absent^c	1477.9 (569.3)	1809.6 (517.2)	1614.7 (946.8)
F (P)	6.33 (0.003)	0.28 (0.760)	3.80 (0.028)
Bonferroni	a > c	—	—
LOH
Normal^a	19.9 (19.4)	22.6 (17.0)	19.6 (15.3)
Abnormal^b	28.6 (25.5)	32.6 (31.4)	40.6 (32.5)
Absent^c	49.6 (25.4)	35.0 (25.8)	47.0 (23.2)
F (P)	10.69 (< 0.001)	1.44 (0.245)	7.19 (0.002)
Bonferroni	a < c	—	a < b
Apgar score at 1 minute
Normal^a	6.3 (2.0)	5.9 (2.2)	6.3 (2.1)
Abnormal^b	6.6 (1.3)	5.8 (2.1)	5.6 (1.6)
Absent^c	4.4 (2.0)	5.7 (1.8)	3.4 (2.4)
F (P)	5.59 (0.006)	0.05 (0.955)	5.13 (0.009)
Bonferroni	a, b > c	—	a > c
Apgar score at 5 minute
Normal^a	8.0 (1.6)	7.7 (2.1)	8.1 (1.5)
Abnormal^b	7.9 (0.7)	7.4 (1.8)	7.3 (1.4)
Absent^c	6.4 (2.3)	7.8 (1.1)	5.2 (3.6)
F (P)	4.78 (0.012)	0.17 (0.842)	6.72 (0.002)
Bonferroni	a > c	—	a > c
ABSS
Normal^a	3.9 (3.4)	4.0 (3.6)	4.2 (3.6)
Abnormal^b	5.1 (4.1)	3.2 (2.9)	2.9 (2.9)
Absent^c	2.4 (2.7)	3.8 (3.9)	3.0 (3.4)
F (P)	1.99 (0.146)	0.37 (0.690)	1.11 (0.337)
ICS
Normal^a	10.3 (1.3)	10.2 (1.5)	10.3 (1.4)
Abnormal^b	8.6 (3.6)	9.9 (1.5)	8.5 (2.6)
Absent^c	8.4 (2.1)	7.7 (2.9)	9.4 (.5)
F (P)	7.11 (0.002)	8.37 (0.001)	6.03 (0.004)
Bonferroni	a > c	a, b > c	a > b

Table 2. Mean Difference of Continuous Clinical Variables by Primitive Reflex Reponses With ANOVA Analysis

Sucking reflex

Moro reflex

Babinski reflex

GA: Gestational age; ABSS: the Anderson Behavioral State Scale; ICS: the Infant Coma Scale; LOH: length of hospitalization; ANOVA analysis between current age and reflexes was removed due to no association.

Normal^a

34.6 (3.0)

33.9 (3.3)

34.5 (2.9)

Abnormal^b

33.0 (3.4)

33.3 (3.7)

32.8 (3.8)

Absent^c

31.2 (3.9)

33.7 (3.0)

30.7 (2.7)

F (P)

6.60 (0.002)

0.20 (0.822)

4.14 (0.021)

Bonferroni

a > c

—

a > c

Birth weight

Normal^a

2291.8 (647.8)

2065.5 (734.2)

2304.1 (686.2)

Abnormal^b

1818.6 (667.2)

2022.3 (744.1)

1720.8 (569.1)

Absent^c

1514.1 (553.2)

2026.7 (614.6)

1447.8 (507.1)

F (P)

9.27 (< 0.001)

0.03 (0.974)

7.94 (0.001)

Bonferroni

a > c

—

a > b, c

Current weight

Normal^a

2191.3 (674.5)

2012.3 (750.6)

2189.3 (721.2)

Abnormal^b

1799.7 (694.8)

1988.6 (750.2)

1704.9 (609.8)

Absent^c

1477.9 (569.3)

1809.6 (517.2)

1614.7 (946.8)

F (P)

6.33 (0.003)

0.28 (0.760)

3.80 (0.028)

Bonferroni

a > c

—

LOH

Normal^a

19.9 (19.4)

22.6 (17.0)

19.6 (15.3)

Abnormal^b

28.6 (25.5)

32.6 (31.4)

40.6 (32.5)

Absent^c

49.6 (25.4)

35.0 (25.8)

47.0 (23.2)

F (P)

10.69 (< 0.001)

1.44 (0.245)

7.19 (0.002)

Bonferroni

a < c

—

a < b

Apgar score at 1 minute

Normal^a

6.3 (2.0)

5.9 (2.2)

6.3 (2.1)

Abnormal^b

6.6 (1.3)

5.8 (2.1)

5.6 (1.6)

Absent^c

4.4 (2.0)

5.7 (1.8)

3.4 (2.4)

F (P)

5.59 (0.006)

0.05 (0.955)

5.13 (0.009)

Bonferroni

a, b > c

—

a > c

Apgar score at 5 minute

Normal^a

8.0 (1.6)

7.7 (2.1)

8.1 (1.5)

Abnormal^b

7.9 (0.7)

7.4 (1.8)

7.3 (1.4)

Absent^c

6.4 (2.3)

7.8 (1.1)

5.2 (3.6)

F (P)

4.78 (0.012)

0.17 (0.842)

6.72 (0.002)

Bonferroni

a > c

—

a > c

ABSS

Normal^a

3.9 (3.4)

4.0 (3.6)

4.2 (3.6)

Abnormal^b

5.1 (4.1)

3.2 (2.9)

2.9 (2.9)

Absent^c

2.4 (2.7)

3.8 (3.9)

3.0 (3.4)

F (P)

1.99 (0.146)

0.37 (0.690)

1.11 (0.337)

ICS

Normal^a

10.3 (1.3)

10.2 (1.5)

10.3 (1.4)

Abnormal^b

8.6 (3.6)

9.9 (1.5)

8.5 (2.6)

Absent^c

8.4 (2.1)

7.7 (2.9)

9.4 (.5)

F (P)

7.11 (0.002)

8.37 (0.001)

6.03 (0.004)

Bonferroni

a > c

a, b > c

a > b