Review article
White matter damage in preterm newborns —an epidemiologic perspective

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-3782(90)90002-ZGet rights and content

Abstract

Prior to 1980, white matter abnormalities of the preterm newborn were known exclusively as pathological entities, but now cranial ultrasonography can image white matter abnormalities in life. Ultrasonographic white matter echodensities and echolucencies in low birthweight babies predict later handicap (especially cerebral palsy) more accurately than any other antecedent. With the increased availability of high resolution cranial ultrasonography and the improved skill in obtaining and reading cranial ultrasonograms, rapid gains can be expected in our understanding of white matter disorders. These advances are likely to be made in the diagnosis and classification of white matter disorders and in their epidemiologic and prognostic features, topics explored in this review.

References (134)

  • G. Greisen et al.

    May hypocarbia cause ischaemic brain damage in the preterm infant?

    Lancet

    (1986)
  • E.I. Hatch et al.

    Surgical options in the management of large omphaloceles

    Am. J. Surg.

    (1987)
  • A. Leviton et al.

    Astrocytosis without globules in infant cerebral white matter. An epidemiologic study

    J. Neurol. Sci.

    (1974)
  • A. Leviton et al.

    Etiologic relationships among the perinatal telencephalic leucoencephalopathies

  • G.C. Liggins et al.

    Failure of initiation of parturition after electrocoagulation of the pituitary of the fetal lamb

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1967)
  • H.C. Lou et al.

    Impaired autoregulation of cerebral blood flow in the distressed newborn infant

    J. Pediatr.

    (1979)
  • J.A. McGregor et al.

    Adjunctive erythromycin treatment for idiopathic preterm labor: results of a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1986)
  • R.A. Nowak et al.

    The effect of severing the spinal cord of fetal lambs on length of gestation

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1987)
  • N. Paneth et al.

    White matter necrosis in very low birthweight infants: neuropathologic and ultrasonographic findings in 22 infants surviving six days or more

    J. Pediatr.

    (1990)
  • L.A. Papile et al.

    Incidence and evolution of subependymal and intraventricular hemorrhage: A study of infants with birth weights less than 1,500 gm

    Pediatrics

    (1978)
  • L.A. Papile et al.

    Relationship of cerebral IVH and early childhood neurologic handicaps

    J. Pediatr.

    (1983)
  • D. Armstrong et al.

    Periventricular leukomalacia in neonates. Complications and sequelae

    Arch. Dis. Child.

    (1974)
  • R. Baarsma et al.

    Reliability of sonography in non-hemorrhagic periventricular leukomalacia

    Pediatr. Radiol.

    (1987)
  • B.Q. Banker et al.

    Periventricular leukomalacia of infancy. A form of neonatal anoxic encephalopathy

    Arch. Neurol.

    (1962)
  • P.G. Barth et al.

    On the relationship between germinal layer haemorrhage and telencephalic leucoencephalopathy in the preterm infant

    Neuropadiatrie

    (1980)
  • R. Bejar et al.

    Focal necrosis of the white matter (periventricular leukomalacia): sonographic, pathologic and electroencephalographic features

    Am. J. Neuroradiol.

    (1986)
  • R. Bejar et al.

    Antenatal origin of neurologic damage in newborn infants. I. Preterm infants

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1988)
  • R. Bejar et al.

    Antenatal white matter necrosis

    Ann. Neurol.

    (1986)
  • S.J. Boros et al.

    Neonatal high-frequency jet ventilation: four years' experience

    Pediatrics

    (1985)
  • M.E. Bozynski et al.

    Cavitary PVL: incidence and short-term outcome in infants weighing less than or equal to 1200 grams at birth

    Dev. Med. Child Neurol.

    (1985)
  • B.A. Brody et al.

    Sequence of central nervous system myelination in human infancy. I. An autopsy study of myelination

    J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.

    (1987)
  • S. Broman et al.

    Retardation in Young Children: A Developmental Study of Cognitive Deficit

    (1987)
  • G.C. Buchan et al.

    Diffuse necrosis of subcortical white matter associated with bacterial meningitis

    Neurology

    (1969)
  • C. Buck

    Popper's philosophy for epidemiologists

    Int. J. Epidemiol.

    (1975)
  • S.A. Calvert et al.

    Etiological factors associated with the development of PVL

    Acta Paediatr. Scand.

    (1987)
  • A.G. Catto-Smith et al.

    Effects of neonatal periventricular hemorrhage on neurodevelopmental outcome

    Arch. Dis. Child.

    (1985)
  • R.W.L. Cooke

    Early and late cranial US appearances and outcomes in VLBW infants

    Arch. Dis. Child.

    (1987)
  • J.J. Corrigan

    Activation of coagulation and disseminated intravascular coagulation in the newborn

    Am. J. Pediatr. Hematol. Oncol.

    (1979)
  • L.S. De Vries et al.

    Neurological, electrophysiological and MRI abnormalities in infants with extensive cystic leukomalacia

    Neuropediatrics

    (1987)
  • L.S. De Vries et al.

    Predictive value of cranial ultrasound; a reappraisal

    Lancet

    (1985)
  • L.S. De Vries et al.

    Localized cerebral infarction in the premature infant

    Pediatrics

    (1988)
  • L.S. De Vries et al.

    Late onset cystic leukomalacia

    Arch. Dis. Child.

    (1986)
  • L.S. De Vries et al.

    Perinatal risk factors for the development of extensive cystic leukomalacia

    Am. J. Dis. Child.

    (1988)
  • J. Dereuck et al.

    Pathogenesis and evolution of periventricular leukomalacia in infancy

    Arch. Neurol.

    (1972)
  • M.A. Dipietro et al.

    Peritrigonal echogenic “blush” on cranial sonography: pathologic correlates

    A.J.N.R.

    (1986)
  • S.M. Donn et al.

    Association of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and PVL

    Am. J. Perinatol.

    (1986)
  • S.M. Donn et al.

    Neonatal posthemorrhagic porencephaly: ultrasonographic features

    Am. J. Dis. Child.

    (1982)
  • E.C. Dooling

    Characteristics of the neuropathology sample

  • L.M.S. Dubowitz et al.

    Developmental sequence of periventricular leukomalacia

    Arch. Dis. Child.

    (1985)
  • W.G. Ellis et al.

    Neuropathologic documentation of prenatal brain damage

    Am. J. Dis. Child.

    (1988)
  • Cited by (247)

    • Intraventricular Hemorrhage and White Matter Injury in the Preterm Infant

      2018, Neurology: Neonatology Questions and Controversies
    • Encephalopathy of Prematurity

      2018, Volpe's Neurology of the Newborn
    • Fetal and Maternal Responses to Intraamniotic Infection

      2017, Fetal and Neonatal Physiology, 2-Volume Set
    • Ultrasonographic approach to diagnosis of fetal inflammatory response syndrome: A tool for at-risk fetuses?

      2016, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
      Citation Excerpt :

      Mediators of infection and inflammation can hamper the function and growth of the affected fetal organs, and recent evidence suggests that these changes can be detected/assessed by ultrasound. Indeed, a multiorgan fetal involvement2 is reported in FIRS.11,17-46 Our review is focused on the sonographic identification of functional and anatomical changes associated with FIRS that were reported in the fetal heart,4,47 thymus,48-54 spleen,45,46 adrenal glands,55 and kidneys.56

    • Risk factors for periventricular white matter injury in very low birthweight neonates

      2016, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
      Citation Excerpt :

      Among very low birthweight (VLBW) neonates (<1500 g) 10% will exhibit cerebral palsy and half show cognitive, behavioral, and attention deficiencies.1-3 The most common lesion predisposing these infants to the later development of neurologic impairment is periventricular white matter injury (PWMI), which, when present, results in cerebral palsy in 60-100% of survivors.4 PWMI is diagnosed with a higher prevalence at autopsy suggesting the difficulty in making an accurate clinical diagnosis with noninvasive measures.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text