Preterm (PT) infants with CPVL are known to be at risk for significant neurodevelopmental disabilities. Our experience suggests that infants with extensive CPVL have high rates of health impairments (HI). Measures of the extent of CPVL and associated health outcomes were analyzed in all PT infants≤ 32 weeks gestation admitted to one tertiary intensive care nursery between 1988 and 1993. Cranial ultrasounds were performed within 72 hours of birth, at 1 week, at 2 to 3 weeks and thereafter as needed. CPVL was diagnosed by a single neurosonographer using explicit diagnostic criteria. Parasagittal and coronal views were used to measure the anterior-posterior (AP), cranial-caudal (CC), and medial-lateral (ML) extent of CPVL. 46 of 51 infants survived (90%). Growth and developmental outcome data was available on 41 of 46 (89%) survivors. The population included 28 (68%) whites and 27 (66%) males. HI was defined by presence of tri/quadriplegia (53%), or growth failure(44%), or dysphagia (59%), or epilepsy (15%). 39 of 41 (95%) had cerebral palsy.

CPVL was predominately bilateral (93%). The mean extent of CPVL included AP 2.95 cm (± 1.62), CC 2.18 cm (± 0.99), and ML 1.13 cm (± 0.45). All three measures were significantly associated with HI.(p<0.01). AP measurements of CPVL and health outcomes were analyzed. Table

Table 1
Full size table

This study demonstrates a high prevalence of HI in PT infants with CPVL. The AP extent of CPVL identifies PT infants at high risk for chronic health impairments and may prove useful in focusing early prevention strategies