Peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in newborns weighing less than 1500 grams: comparative analysis between 2 institutions.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to characterize the peri-intraventricular hemorrhages in the neonatal period in very low birth weight newborns in 2 institutions that provide neonatal tertiary assistance.


METHODS
This was a comparative and observational study in 2 neonatal intensive care units, the Maternity Hospital of Campinas and the "Centro de Aten  o Integrada   Sa de da Mulher" of the State University of Campinas, from December 01, 1998 to November 30, 1999. We examined 187 newborns for peri-intraventricular hemorrhages, using transfontanel ultrasound (76 and 11 respectively at the first and second unit), and classified them into 4 grades. We observed their gender, intrauterine growth, weight, and gestational age at birth.


RESULTS
We diagnosed 34 cases of peri-intraventricular hemorrhages (13 and 21, respectively), and both groups differed as to the birth weight and the adequacy of weight to the gestational age at birth. There was no difference in the prevalence or extent of peri-intraventricular hemorrhages among cases. There was a statistically significant occurrence of lower birth weight at gestational ages of less than 30 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhages in our study was compared to that reported in the world literature. Although the cases of the second institution had a smaller mean birth weight, the prevalence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhages was similar to that at the first institution, probably because in the first one, 69% of the gestational ages of the neonates with hemorrhage were less than 30 weeks as compared to 48% in the second one. We stress the importance of the ultrasonographic method for diagnosing peri-intraventricular hemorrhages in very low birth weight newborns.
Ponte
Marinice Duarte da
MD
Neonatology Service, Pediatrics Department, Maternity Hospital of Campinas.
Marba
S rgio Tadeu Martins
Sr
D001724:Birth Weight; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages