OBJECTIVE: Not many large studies have reported the true impact of lower-grade intraventricular hemorrhages in preterm infants. We studied the neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants in relation to the severity of intraventricular hemorrhage. METHODS: A regional cohort study of infants born at 23 to 28 weeks’ gestation and admitted to a NICU between 1998 and 2004. Primary outcome measure was moderate to severe neurosensory impairment at 2 to 3 years’ corrected age defined as developmental delay (developmental quotient >2 SD below the mean), cerebral palsy, bilateral deafness, or bilateral blindness. RESULTS: Of the 1472 survivors assessed, infants with grade III–IV intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH; n = 93) had higher rates of developmental delay (17.5%), cerebral palsy (30%), deafness (8.6%), and blindness (2.2%). Grade I–II IVH infants (n = 336) also had increased rates of neurosensory impairment (22% vs 12.1%), developmental delay (7.8% vs 3.4%), cerebral palsy (10.4% vs 6.5%), and deafness (6.0% vs 2.3%) compared with the no IVH group (n = 1043). After exclusion of 40 infants with late ultrasound findings (periventricular leukomalacia, porencephaly, ventricular enlargement), isolated grade I–II IVH (n = 296) had increased rates of moderate-severe neurosensory impairment (18.6% vs 12.1%). Isolated grade I–II IVH was also independently associated with a higher risk of neurosensory impairment (adjusted odds ratio 1.73, 95% confidence interval 1.22–2.46). CONCLUSIONS: Grade I–II IVH, even with no documented white matter injury or other late ultrasound abnormalities, is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely preterm infants.

Neonatal herpes encephalitis is usually caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 and results in significant morbidity and mortality. Imaging diagnosis with ultrasound, computed tomography scan and conventional magnetic resonance imaging may be normal in the early course of the disease. In this case diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging detected the disease process earlier and better than the conventional T2-weighted or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging sequences. The use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in neonatal herpes encephalitis proved to be a useful tool in the early stage of the disease.

Hypokalemia and inappropriate kaliuresis observed during the acute phase of ALF and AVH reversed with clinical and biochemical recovery. In the absence of major gastrointestinal losses and renal abnormalities, there is need to investigate the contributory role of factors like hyperaldosteronism and food intake, which may have therapeutic implications.