Correlation of grading and duration of periventricular echodensities with neurodevelopmental outcome in preterm infants

Background Transient periventricular echodensities (PVE) in preterm infants affect neurodevelopmental outcome.Objective To correlate the duration and grading of PVE with neurodevelopmental outcome.Materials and methods A retrospective, single-centre cohort study of infants with PVE diagnosed by ultrasonography from 1995 to 2000 with blinded grading and recognition of duration of PVE.Results A total of 72 infants (median gestational age 32 weeks, median birth weight 1,668 g) were diagnosed as having PVE. Minor neurological abnormalities were diagnosed in seven (10%), cerebral palsy in six (8%), developmental delay in seven (10%), and mild mental retardation in two (3%) of the infants. Differences regarding adverse outcome were not significant between infants with severity grade 1 compared to severity grade 2 (16% and 22%, respectively). There was a significant increase in adverse neurodevelopmental outcome with increasing duration of PVE. Of 33 infants with duration of PVE <7 days, 1 (3%) had an adverse neurodevelopmental outcome, compared to 6 (24%) of 25 infants with a duration of PVE of 7–14 days, and 6 (43%) of 14 infants with a duration of PVE >14 days (P<0.002, RR 7.920, 95% CI 1.017–61.661; P<0.001, RR 14.143, 95% CI 1.871–106.895, respectively).Conclusion The duration, but not the grading, of transient PVE was significantly correlated with neurodevelopmental outcome.