Perinatal events and future developmental outcome--assessment of a newborn's individual prognosis. 2. Prediction of outcome on the basis of perinatological data--results of multivariate discriminant analysis.

Abstract

The aim of the prospective study described in this paper was to elaborate a prognostic screening method which allows to give an individual prognostic estimate for every newborn, with an accuracy acceptable for clinical purposes. This second part informs about the results of multivariate discriminant analysis, using the data from case histories as well as from the clinical and laboratory findings in the neonates (including "criteria of hypoxia"). According to the kind and number of abnormalities found on the occasion of out-patient consultations during the course of the first two years of life, and according to the developmental status reached at the age of two and six years, the children were classified under two alternative groups. Satisfying results were achieved in the discrimination between the groups of six-year-old children. As compared with the literature, the prognostic method proposed in this paper yields a relatively high accuracy of individual predictions, and therefore promises to become a good tool for clinical practice.