Abstract

Background: The incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and periventricular leucomalacy (PVL) was unknown for us, because of by the unavailability of ecography in the neonatology unit. The acquisition of the necessary equipment, in the year of 2001 by means of the financial support of FONADIS, the national foundation for the discapacity. Purpose: To determine the incidence of IVH y PVL in newborn (NB) with less than 1500 grs of weight or less than 32 weeks of gestational age and asociated factors. Method: 118 NB were examined between August 2001 and July 2003. All of them were neurologically evaluated at 40 weeks of gestational age (GA). The clinical and epidemiological data were analyzed by t-test and (2 test or Fisher, by Stata 8.0(r) software. Results: The total IVH incidence was 13.6% (14/103) at the time of the first ecography, with 57.1% GI (8/14), 21.4%, (3/14) GII, 7.1% (1/14) GIII and 14.2% (2/14) GIV. PVL was present in 16%, with persistent periventricular hyperecogenicity without cystic formation (H) in 12.7%. The distribution of PVL and H according to NB weight, showed a 40% (14/35) in the group of 700 to 900 gr. The association between PVL and GA was statistically significant with RR 1.9 (IC95% 1.3 - 2.7, p: 0.0012) for the NB with less than 30 weeks of GA. The IVH, was highly observed in the group 800 to 1000 gr. (9/15). The neurological evaluation at the 40 weeks was abnormal in13,8% of the NB. Conclusion: Using the cerebral ecography we could establish the dimension of the neurological complications in premature NB, in our unit, and to propose therapeutic and preventive measures, so we could contribute to the better clinical results in our children. Intracranial hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia incidence in the very low birth weight newborn and/or younger than 32 weeks of gestation.