Cystic periventricular leukomalacia and type of cerebral palsy in preterm infants☆,☆☆,★,★★
Section snippets
METHODS
A case series design was used for study purposes. The study population consisted of preterm infants born at ≤32 weeks of gestation who were hospitalized at one regional tertiary neonatal center that serves eight counties of western New York State. The enrollment period extended from January 1988 to December 1991. A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify all neonates with a diagnosis of periventricular leukomalacia. In addition, neonatal discharge summaries and intensive care
RESULTS
A total of 1239 infants born at ≤32 weeks of gestation were admitted to the intensive care nursery between January 1988 and December 1991; 48 (4%) of these infants had a discharge diagnosis of PVL. Of the 48 infants, 17 were excluded from further analysis for the following reasons: no neonatal scans (n = 3), lost neonatal scans (n = 2), normal findings on cranial ultrasound studies (n = 2), presence of a choroid plexus cyst (n = 1), diagnosis of transient hyperechoic lesions (n = 4),
DISCUSSION
Although cystic PVL is a relatively uncommon complication in premature infants, it is a valuable marker for cerebral palsy. Periventricular cysts are usually bilateral and located at or near the trigone region. Developmental sequelae, including type of cerebral palsy, degree of functional motor deficits, and associated disabilities, are closely linked with the location and extent of cystic PVL.
Cranial ultrasonography remains the procedure of choice for the diagnosis of PVL in premature infants.4
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Cited by (94)
Intraventricular Hemorrhage and White Matter Injury in the Preterm Infant
2018, Neurology: Neonatology Questions and ControversiesUsing the Alberta Infant Motor Scale to early identify very low-birth-weight infants with cystic periventricular leukomalacia
2013, Brain and DevelopmentCitation Excerpt :The AIMS can be used to identify cystic PVL in VLBW preterm infants as young as 6 months old. Cystic PVL contributes to the development of cerebral palsy [26–30]. Consistent with these observations, all VLBW preterm infants with cystic PVL in our study were later diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 2 years old.
Serial ultrasonographic observation of bilateral thalami in low birth weight infants with periventricular leukomalacia
2011, Brain and DevelopmentCitation Excerpt :White-matter damage is the most common form of brain injury, and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a typical type of brain damage in premature infants [9,10]. Periventricular leukomalacia increases the risk of developing a variety of neurological sequelae, including motor dysfunction, delayed cognitive development, visual impairment, and epilepsy [11–13]. Qualitative studies in preterm neonates have reported high rates of periventricular leukomalacia, basal ganglia lesions, and thalamic lesions [14–16].
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From the Departments of Pediatrics, Radiology, and Social and Preventive Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
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Supported in part by the Children's Guild of Buffalo, N.Y., and the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (RF 150-6619 D).
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Reprint Requests: Brian Rogers, MD, Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center of the Children's Hospital of Buffalo, 936 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, NY 14209.
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0022-3476/94/$3.00 + 0 9/73/55237