title: [Periventricular leukomalacia prevalence in premature newborn].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  the periventricular leukomalacia (PLM) is considered a lesion of the central nervous system secondary to a hypoxic-ischemic insult, and affects more to premature than term neonates. However, the reported rates in the literature are between 2 % to 25 % in premature neonates. The objective was to determine the prevalence of PLM in premature neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  a two year prospective screening program with transfontanel ultrasound in premature neonates weighing < 2000 g was carried out at 4 weeks of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  from 38 355 consecutive deliveries 562 were premature neonates weighted = 2000 g who fulfilled inclusion criteria and all were studied with transfontanel ultrasonography; we found 36 (6.34 %) premature neonates with PLM. Of the 346 neonates weighing = 1500 g, 26 (7.5 %) had a positive examination for PLM. In the 1501 g to 2000 g group, 10 of 216 (4.6 %) had PLM. The PLM prevalence was higher in male (2:1). Neurological exam was normal at the time of study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the PLM was present in 6.3 % of premature neonates weighing < 2000 g with 2 affected males for each female.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad 23, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hernández-Cabrera
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flores-Santos
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: García-Quintanilla
authors.forename: Ricardo Jorge
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hernández-Herrera
authors.forename: Luis Gerardo
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Alcalá-Galván
authors.forename: Norma Elia
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Castillo-Martínez
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies