The complementary roles of the motor optimality score and Hammersmith infant neurological examination

Objective: It is recommended that General Movements Assessment, Hammersmith Infant Neurologic Examination (HINE) and magnetic resonance imaging be used together for the early identification of infants at risk for neurodevelopmental problems. This study aimed to investigate the agreement and relationship between the Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R) and HINE. Methods: MOS-R and HINE were performed on the same day in 79 infants with corrected ages between 9 and 17 weeks. The agreement between the two scales was analyzed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) test and the correlation was analyzed by Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: The median (interquartile range 25-75) gestational age and birth weight of the infants were 36 (30-39) weeks and 2340 (1400-3095) grams respectively. There was moderate agreement (ICC = 0.627) and high correlation (p < 0.001, r = 0.744) between MOS-R and HINE global scores. Conclusion: Despite the results, the two assessment tools assess both overlapping and distinct components of infants' development and should be considered complementary. Using them together will provide a more comprehensive insight into infants' body functions and neurodevelopmental risk.