Prognostication of neurological outcome during the first days of life in preterm infants with large ivh's

Abstract 140 BACKGROUND: Neurological outcome may vary significantly in infants with large intra-ventricular haemorrhages (IVH) with similar appearance on cranial ultrasonography. Postmorten

studies in preterm infants have shown that the EEG background is better correlated with the number of damaged brain structures than with the degree of IVH. AIM OF STUDY: To investigate

whether continuous EEG-monitoring(amplitude-integrated EEG) during the first days of life can predict the degree of handicap in preterm infants with large IVH. SUBJECTS AND METHOD:

Retrospective analysis of aEEG recorded during the first week of life, blinded for outcome, in 27 children aged 3-11 years, born with gestational ages <32 weeks and who survived with IVH

grade III-IV. Evaluated EEG-features: Number of min. and max. bursts/hour/day; Presence or absence of seizure activity, sleep-wake-cycling (SWC), and reactivity to handling. Evaluation of

handicap: "Good" prognosis = without or with cerebral palsy but able to walk and no mental retardation; "Poor" prognosis = cerebral palsy and unable to walk, and/or

mental retardation, and/or blind. Mann-Whitney U-test was used, level of significance p<0.05. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the two groups ("good" n=18,

"poor" n=9) regarding max. bursts/h on days 2,5, and 7; min. bursts/h on days 4-7; reactivity to handling on day 4; and SWC on days 6-7. There were no differences between the

groups regarding gestational age, birth weight, inborn/outborn, degree of IVH, or need for ventriculoperitoneal shunt (n=9 vs. n=2). CONCLUSION: The degree of subsequent neurological

handicap is possible to predict in very preterm infants with large IVH's already during the first days of life. These findings may have implications for the care of preterm infants with

IVH, especially regarding future interventional treatment. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Depts. of Paediatrics and Clinical Neurophysiology, University Hospital, Lund,

Sweden L Hellström-Westas, H Klette, K Thorngren-Jerneck, I Rosén & N W Svenningsen Authors * L Hellström-Westas View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed 

Google Scholar * H Klette View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * K Thorngren-Jerneck View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar * I Rosén View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * N W Svenningsen View author publications You can also search

for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Hellström-Westas, L., Klette, H., Thorngren-Jerneck, K. _et al._

Prognostication of Neurological Outcome During the First Days of Life in Preterm Infants with Large IVH's. _Pediatr Res_ 44, 442 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199809000-00173

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