Infantile hydrocephalus epidemiology: an indicator of enhanced survival.
The epidemiology of infantile hydrocephalus in the birth years 1973-90 was investigated in west Sweden. The study revealed a significant increase in prevalence from 1973-8 and 1979-82 considered due to the enhanced survival of very and extremely preterm infants. The increase did not continue from 1983-90. This could indicate an improved outcome in preterm survivors as the neonatal survival rate continued to increase. The striking predominance of a perinatal/neonatal aetiology in very preterm hydrocephalic infants could be confirmed: 89% born from 1983-90 had suffered a confirmed postpartum intraventricular haemorrhage. In infants born at term, prenatal origins, mainly maldevelopments, dominated. The outcome in very preterm surviving infants with infantile hydrocephalus was poor: 73% had cerebral palsy, 52% epilepsy, 22% severe visual disability, and 55% were mentally retarded. Despite the increased survival resulting in a majority of healthy infants, there is an accumulating cohort of hydrocephalic children.
Fernell
E
E
Department of Paediatrics II, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Hagberg
G
G
Hagberg
B
B
D001766:Blindness / Q000150:complications; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors