Late-onset cystic periventricular leukomalacia in premature infants: a threat until term.
The purposes of this study are (1) to describe a "late-onset" form of cystic periventricular leukomalacia eventually appearing in premature infants whose neurological assessments were normal in the first month of life; (2) to retrospectively evaluate its incidence among a large population of premature infants; (3) to suggest that a few unexpected complications of prematurity may trigger the development of white matter damage, even several weeks after birth. Retrospective study in a population of 1452 surviving infants after 5 days born before 33 weeks. We identified 10 cases of late-onset cystic periventricular leukomalacia appearing beyond the first 5 weeks of life. In 8 cases, an intercurrent event associated with a systemic inflammatory response preceded the appearance of cysts: necrotizing enterocolitis (n = 5), septicemia (n = 2 cases), strangulated inguinal hernia in one infant. Neurological surveillance should be repeated until discharge in very preterm infants, especially after the occurrence of an intercurrent complication coming along with a systemic inflammatory response.
André
P
P
Service de Pédiatrie et Réanimation Néonatale, Hĵpital Antoine Béclère, Université Paris-Sud, Clamart, France.
Thébaud
B
B
Delavaucoupet
J
J
Zupan
V
V
Blanc
N
N
d'Allest
A M
AM
Rambaud
C
C
Dehan
M
M
Lacaze-Masmonteil
T
T
D017668:Age of Onset; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging