title: Metabolic changes in the striatum after germinal matrix hemorrhage in the preterm infant.
abstract: To investigate the metabolic consequences of germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH) we used volume-selective 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the striatal region in 12 preterm infants with predominantly small GMH. Both sides of the brain were investigated twice. Metabolite indices were calculated as the metabolite signal, recorded with TR = 1.6 s and TE = 272 ms, divided by the fully relaxed water signal corrected for transverse relaxation time constant (T2) decay. At the first investigation, when the infants were 32.5 +/- 2.0 (mean +/- SD) wk postmenstrual age, the hemorrhage was unilateral or markedly asymmetrical in size in 10 of 12 infants. The lactate index was higher (p < 0.01) and the phosphocreatine + creatine (Cr) (p < 0.05) and N-acetyl-L-aspartate (NAA) (p < 0.05) indices lower in the side with the larger hemorrhage. At the second investigation, 54.1 +/- 2.7 wk postmenstrual age, no sign of a previous GMH could be seen on magnetic resonance imaging in three of 10 infants. Lactate could be detected in two of 10 infants only, and the Cr and NAA indices did not differ between sides. However, the choline index was significantly higher in the side with the larger hemorrhage (p < 0.01). We conclude that GMH is initially followed by lactate accumulation and possibly a delay in maturation as indicated by the transiently low Cr and NAA indices. Moreover, an increased choline index at the corrected age of 3 mo indicates a more persistent metabolic change after small GMH.
authors.affiliation: Danish Research Center of Magnetic Resonance, Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Toft
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leth
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peitersen
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D002452:Cell Count; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D011522:Protons
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D019344:Lactic Acid