Related Experiment Videos
Epidemiology of infantile hydrocephalus in Sweden. III. Origin in preterm infants
Insights
Infantile hydrocephalus (IH) often originates prenatally or perinatally, with post-hemorrhagic causes being most common. Early onset IH significantly increases the risk of death or severe disability in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Infantile hydrocephalus (IH) is a significant concern in neonatal care.
- Understanding the etiology and outcomes of IH is crucial for early intervention.
- Previous studies have explored various causes and risk factors for IH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the etiological origins of infantile hydrocephalus (IH).
- To analyze the relationship between the timing of IH onset and patient outcomes.
- To identify specific risk factors and subgroups within IH patients.
Main Methods:
- Population-based study of 61 children with IH born between 1967-1982.
- Classification of IH etiology based on prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal origins.
- Assessment of mortality and neurological dysfunction in relation to etiological groups.
Main Results:
- Prenatal (28%), pre-perinatal (28%), and perinatal (43%) origins were identified.
- Post-hemorrhagic causes accounted for a significant proportion of IH cases (31% diagnosed, 25% suspected).
- Children with clear IH onset (pre-, peri-, postnatal) faced high mortality (41%) and severe neurological dysfunction (78% of survivors).
- Infants born before 28 weeks gestation with IH developed severe multihandicap conditions.
Conclusions:
- The timing and cause of infantile hydrocephalus significantly impact infant outcomes.
- Post-hemorrhagic events are a leading cause of IH.
- Early-onset IH, particularly in extremely preterm infants, is associated with poor prognosis and severe developmental impairments.
Abstract:
The aetiology of infantile hydrocephalus (IH) was studied in a population-based series of 61 children with IH born 1967-82 at less than 37 weeks of gestation. A prenatal origin was present in 17 children (28%), a pre- and perinatal in 17 (28%), a perinatal in 26 (43%) and a postnatal in one (1%). The predominant single cause was postaemorrhagic IH, which was diagnosed in 19 (31%). In addition, an undiagnosed cerebral haemorrhage was considered to be the cause in another 25%. The outcome differed between pathogenetic groups. Children with a clear onset of IH (pre-, peri- or postnatal) were found to be at high risk for early death or multiple impairments. Sixteen of 39 (41%) within these groups had died before 2 years of age and 18 of the 23 (78%) survivors showed major neurological dysfunction. This contrasted to no mortality and 41% major dysfunction in children with a less clear onset of IH. A new subgroup consisting of infants born before 28 weeks of gestation emerged in the early 1980s. All infants with IH in this group developed a severe multihandicap condition.