Epidemiology of infantile hydrocephalus in Sweden. Current aspects of the outcome in preterm infants.
The outcome in a population-based series of 61 Swedish preterm infants born in 1967-82 with infantile hydrocephalus (IH) was investigated. Sixteen (26%) died before the age of two years. The available information was updated when the 45 surviving children were at least four years and six months old. A structured follow-up examination was performed in the 13 children who had passed the age of six years. Among the 45 survivors, 47% had cerebral palsy, 51% mental retardation and 33% epilepsy. The overall outcome for preterm infants with IH was found to be poorer than that for fullterm ones. Prognostic factors correlating to a poor outcome were an obvious origin of IH (pre- or perinatal) and a gestational age of less than 28 weeks. It is concluded that handicapped IH children born very or extremely prematurely constitute a new, and to a large extent severely brain-damaged group that has entered the Swedish IH panorama since the end of the 1970s.
Fernell
E
E
Department of Paediatrics II, East Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Hagberg
B
B
Hagberg
G
G
Hult
G
G
von Wendt
L
L
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D013548:Sweden