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Published on: November 20, 2015
[Influencing factors for brain injury in preterm infants]
Li Ma1, Xiao-Hong Wen, Hai-Bo Yang
1Department of Pediatrics, Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230061, China. wenxiaohong2007@163.com.
Insights
Brain injury affects 25.5% of preterm infants, with lower gestational age increasing risk. Prolonging gestation and careful cesarean section use can help prevent brain injury in newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Pediatric neuroimaging
- Perinatal medicine
Context:
- Preterm infants are at high risk for various brain injuries.
- Understanding the incidence and contributing factors is crucial for prevention and management.
- Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a key diagnostic tool.
Purpose:
- To determine the incidence of different brain injury types in preterm infants.
- To identify antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum factors influencing brain injury.
- To analyze the relationship between gestational age, birth weight, and brain injury types.
Summary:
- The study found a 25.5% incidence of brain injury in 239 preterm infants, with hemorrhagic and ischemic types each occurring in 10.5%.
- Lower gestational age was significantly associated with higher rates of hemorrhagic and overall brain injury.
- Multiparity and cesarean section emerged as protective factors, while severe infection was a risk factor for brain injury.
Impact:
- Findings emphasize the importance of prolonging gestational age to minimize brain injury risk.
- Recommendations include optimizing cesarean section indications and proactive management of infections in preterm infants.
- This research informs clinical practice for improving neurodevelopmental outcomes in vulnerable newborns.
Objective:
To investigate the incidence of different types of brain injury in preterm infants and their influencing factors.
Methods:
The clinical data and head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of 239 preterm infants were collected, and the influence of antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum factors on brain injury in preterm infants was analyzed.
Results:
The incidence rate of brain injury in preterm infants was 25.5%; among these infants, 10.5% had hemorrhagic brain injury, 10.5% had ischemic brain injury, and 4.6% and hemorrhagic and ischemic brain injury. The infants with a lower gestational age had higher incidence rates of hemorrhagic brain injury and overall brain injury (P<0.01). The incidence rates of ischemic brain injury and hemorrhagic and ischemic brain injury were not correlated with gestational age (P>0.05). The incidence rates of hemorrhagic, ischemic, and overall brain injury were not correlated with birth weight (P>0.05). Multiparity (OR=0.292, 95%CI 0.088-0.972) and cesarean section (OR=0.075, 95%CI 0.015-0.368) were protective factors against brain injury in infants with a gestational age of <34 weeks; cesarean section (OR=0.296, 95%CI 0.131-0.672) was the protective factor against brain injury in infants with a gestational age of ≤34 weeks, and severe infection (OR=8.176, 95%CI 1.202-55.617) was the risk factor.
Conclusions:
In order to prevent or reduce the occurrence of brain injury in preterm infants. the gestational age of preterm infants should be prolonged as much as possible and the indications for cesarean section should be grasped. Infections should be prevented and if occurring should be treated actively and effectively.
