Periventricular Echogenicity Is Related to Delayed Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants

Chih-Cheng Chen; Chung-Bin Huang; Mei-Yung Chung; Li-Tong Huang; Chun-Yuh Yang

doi:10.1055/s-2004-835966

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 2004; 21(8): 483-489
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-835966

Periventricular Echogenicity Is Related to Delayed Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants

Chih-Cheng Chen¹ , Chung-Bin Huang² , Mei-Yung Chung¹ , Li-Tong Huang³ , Chun-Yuh Yang⁴

¹Section of Neonatology, Chang-Gung Medical Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
²Section of Neonatology, St. Joseph General Hospital, Hu-Wei, Uen-Lin, Taiwan
³Section of Pediatric Neurology, Chang-Gung Medical Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
⁴College of Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is one of the most commonly seen neuropathologic lesions and is related to many neurodevelopmental handicaps in premature infants. Periventricular echogenicities (PVE) are considered to be at the milder end of the spectrum of PVL, and thus might affect the neurodevelopment of the preterm infants as well. In this retrospective cohort study medical records of 257 preterm infants who were discharged from our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during October 1996 to August 2000 were reviewed. A total of 114 records of preterm infants fulfilling our criteria were included in the survey. On the basis of the craniosonographic findings and birth history, the candidates were divided into three subgroups: group 1 (control) included infants with normal craniosonographic image during the neonatal period; group 2 included infants with PVEs for < 2 weeks during the neonatal period; group 3 included infants with PVEs≥ 2 weeks during the neonatal period. Neurodevelopmental assessment using the Bayley Scale of Infant Development II at 6, 12, and 18 months of corrected age of each group was compared. There were no significant differences among the three groups in gestational age, birth weight, and gender prevalence. Infants in group 3 had lower Mental Developmental Index and Psychomotor Developmental Index scores as compared with those in groups 1 and 2 at 6 (p< 0.01), 12 (p < 0.001), and 18 (p < 0.01) months of corrected age, respectively. In conclusion, infants with PVEs that persisted for at least a 2-week period have significantly higher risk of delayed developmental outcomes as compared with infants with normal craniosonography or infants with PVEs that persisted for less than 2 weeks. It might be prudent to arrange therapeutic intervention for rehabilitation to these high-risk infants as early as possible to reduce the intensity of possible handicap in the future.

KEYWORDS

Periventricular echogenicity,mental development delay - psychomotor developmental delay

Full Text

References

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Chung-Bin HuangM.D.

Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics

Chang-Gung Children's Hospital, 12333 Ta-Pei Road

Niaosung, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan, Republic of China