Survival and long-term morbidity in preterm infants with and without a clinical diagnosis of periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage.
The prognosis of clinically diagnosed periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage on the survival and long-term outcome of 169 infants delivered at 24 to 30 weeks gestation who survived more than 48 hours was evaluated. Periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage was confirmed by ultrasound in 37.9% of the survivors. In this group the survival rate was 64% and the major handicap rate was 14.6%. In contrast, the survival of infants who did not have a clinical diagnosis of periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage was greater than 90% with a major handicap rate of only 3.2% (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.03, respectively). Infants with clinical diagnosis of periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage who were found to have grades 1-2 by ultrasound had the same survival rate as those without a clinical diagnosis of periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage (90.5%), while infants with grades 3-4 had a survival rate of only 51.2% (P < 0.01). We conclude, that preterm infants who survive longer than 48 hours and do not have a clinical suspicion of periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage, have an excellent prognosis. In these circumstances brain sonography can be deferred without jeopardizing the infants' health.
Jakobi
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology B, Rambam Medical Center, Technion, Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel.
Weissman
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A
Zimmer
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EZ
Blazer
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S
D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014463:Ultrasonography