PLoS ONE (Jan 2022)

Posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation late intervention threshold and associated brain injury.

  • Eva Valverde,
  • Marta Ybarra,
  • Andrea V Benito,
  • María Carmen Bravo,
  • Adelina Pellicer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0276446
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 10
p. e0276446

Abstract

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ObjectiveTo systematically assess white matter injury (WMI) in preterm infants with posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) using a high-threshold intervention strategy.Study designThis retrospective analysis included 85 preterm infants (≤34 weeks of gestation) with grade 2-3 germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage. Cranial ultrasound (cUS) scans were assessed for WMI and ventricular width and shape. Forty-eight infants developed PHVD, 21 of whom (intervention group) underwent cerebrospinal fluid drainage according to a predefined threshold (ventricular index ≥p97+4 mm or anterior horn width >10 mm, and the presence of frontal horn ballooning). The other 27 infants underwent a conservative approach (non-intervention group). The two PHVD groups were compared regarding ventricular width at two stages: the worst cUS for the non-intervention group (scans showing the largest ventricular measurements) versus pre-intervention cUS in the intervention group, and at term equivalent age. WMI was classified as normal/mild, moderate and severe.ResultsThe intervention group showed significantly larger ventricular index, anterior horn width and thalamo-occipital diameter than the non-intervention group at the two timepoints. Moderate and severe WMI were more frequent in the infants with PHVD (pConclusionsPreterm infants with PHVD who undergo a high-threshold intervention strategy associate an increased risk of WMI.