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OBJECTIVE:To study the impact of neonatal sepsis on the long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies comparing neurodevelopmental outcomes in VLBW infants exposed to culture-proven sepsis in the neonatal period with similar infants without sepsis. RESULT: Seventeen studies involving 15 331 infants were included in the meta-analysis. Sepsis in VLBW infants was associated with an increased risk of one or more long-term neurodevelopmental impairments (odds ratio (OR) 2.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.65 to 2.65) including cerebral palsy (CP; OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.78 to 2.45). Heterogeneity (I 2 ¼ 36.9%; P ¼ 0.06) between the studies was significant and related to variations in patient characteristics, causative pathogens and follow-up methods. Sensitivity analyses based on study design, follow-up rate and year of birth were not significantly different from the overall analysis. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis suggests that sepsis in VLBW infants is associated with a worse neurodevelopmental outcome including higher incidence of CP.

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