title: Preeclampsia, preterm delivery and infant cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between preeclampsia and cerebral palsy among preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort study of 345 singleton preterm (24 to 33 weeks gestation) infants delivered at an institution where no mothers received magnesium sulphate. We investigated the relationship of preeclampsia to the development of infant cerebral palsy (spastic quadriplegia, hemiplegia or diplegia) at two years' corrected age. Potential confounders were controlled for by politomous logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of cerebral palsy in surviving infants from normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies was 13.4% (38/284) and 3.3% (2/61), respectively (P=0.026 by Fisher exact test). After control for potential confounders (gestational age, infant gender, birthweight standard deviation score, mode of delivery), the likelihood of infant cerebral palsy was reduced by preeclampsia (odds ratio 0.16, 95% confidence interval=0.04-0.74 for infants from preeclamptic versus normotensive pregnancies being palsied).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among preterm infants, the protective effect of preeclampsia against cerebral palsy is manifest in the absence of magnesium sulphate utilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spinillo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capuzzo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stronati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Santolo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fazzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D008278:Magnesium Sulfate