title: Neurological examination at 6 to 9 months in infants with cystic periventricular leukomalacia.
abstract: The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination was performed in 24 infants with cystic periventricular leukomalacia whose gestational age ranged between 26-38 weeks. The infants were examined between 6 and 9.5 months corrected age. The aim of the study was to establish the different patterns of neurological abnormality as well as the optimality scores that predict the severity of motor sequelae at 2 years. Increased neck and trunk extensor tone, and a posture of flexed arms and extended legs between 6 and 9 months were always associated with the inability to sit unsupported at 2 years, whilst truncal hypotonia and extended arms and legs were associated with unsupported sitting but not walking. Optimality scores between 41 and 60 were generally associated with sitting but not walking at 2 years whilst scores below 40 were always associated with the inability to sit independently at 2 years. All infants who did not develop cerebral palsy at 2 years had scores > 60. Our results suggest that the pattern of findings on neurological examination performed between 6 and 9 months as well as the calculated optimality score helps to predict motor impairment in infants with PVL.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Neurology Unit, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. daniricciola@libero.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pane
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gallini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haataja
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cesarini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Donvito
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baranello
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dubowitz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mercuri
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods