Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Periventricular hemorrhagic infarction (PVHI) is a serious complication of germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants and it is a major contributing factor to patient outcome. Our main purpose in this study was to investigate whether cranial ultrasonographic findings of PVHI could help predict short-term outcome and to evaluate the relationship between PVHI and perinatal risk factors.

METHODS

Preterm infants (<2500 g) with PVHI were retrospectively determined by an electronic search for a 3-year period. A total of 35 preterm infants with PVHI were found but only 28 patients enrolled due to exclusion criteria of the study. Finally, 28 preterm infants with PVHI and 35 control subjects were included in the study. Cranial ultrasonographic images and clinical data of the patients were evaluated. Variables were simply compared by using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors.

RESULTS

Preterm infants with extensive, bilateral and left-sided unilateral PVHI had higher mortality. PVHI was found to be more frequent in patients who required cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the delivery room, who had hypotension in the first days and sepsis.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that cranial ultrasonographic findings may help predict mortality in preterm infants with PVHI.