Developmental Assessment of Preterm Infants at Two Years of Age with Periventricular Leukomalacia.
- Author:
Hyun Jung LEE
1
;
Sung Ho PARK
;
Kyung Hee NA
;
Sun Young PARK
;
Eun Young KIM
;
Kyoung Sim KIM
;
Yong Wook KIM
;
Sae Jong KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, Kwangju Christian Hospital, Gwangju, Korea. tomato0423@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Periventricular leukomalacia;
Prematurity;
Brain MRI;
Degree of PVL;
Neurologic sequela
- MeSH:
Arm;
Birth Weight;
Brain;
Diagnosis;
Epilepsy;
Follow-Up Studies;
Gestational Age;
Gwangju;
Humans;
Infant;
Infant, Newborn;
Infant, Premature*;
Language Development Disorders;
Leukomalacia, Periventricular*;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging;
Membranes;
Paralysis;
Risk Factors;
Rupture;
Seizures;
Strabismus;
Ventilators, Mechanical;
Vision Disorders
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Neonatology
2002;9(2):167-175
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The study was to determine clinical characteristics of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) in premature infants and evaluate usefulness of brain MRI as a diagnostic tool in predicting degree of PVL to severity of neurological sequelae at 2 years of age. METHODS: The subjects included twenty premature infants admitted to NICU of Kwangju Christian Hospital from June 1993 to February 1999 whose 2 year follow up was possible. The diagnosis of PVL was made by brain MRI and severity of PVL was divided into 3 grades based on its degree of white matter volume loss. RESULTS: The infants with grade I PVL was 2 (10%), grade II was 14 (70%), grade III was 4 (20%). The mean gestational age was 32.0+/-1.7 weeks and mean birth weight was 1,770+/-370 g. The risk factors associated with PVL were mechanical ventilator care, respiratory distress syndrome, prolonged rupture of membrane, and neonatal seizures. Two patient were diagnosed with PVL later by MRI when increased periventricular echodensity noted on initial neurosonogram improved on subsequent follow up neurosonograms. Accompanied neurological sequelae included motor palsy, language delay, visual impairment, squint and epilepsy. At 2 years of age, infants with grade 1 PVL could walk without support, most (71%) of grade II could crawl and stand holding and most (75%) of grade III could sit with arm support. CONCLUSION: Brain MRI is regarded as a precise tool in diagnosing PVL. The severity of PVL on brain MRI significantly correlated with degree of the motor developmental delay.
