Assessing key clinical parameters before and after intraventricular hemorrhage in very preterm infants

Intraventricular cerebral hemorrhage (IVH) is one of the most severe complications of premature birth, potentially leading to lifelong disability. The purpose of this paper is the assessment of the evolution of three of the most relevant parameters, before and after IVH: mean arterial pressure (MAP), arterial carbon dioxide pressure (pCO(2)), and cerebral blood flow (CBF). Clinical records of 254 preterm infants with a gestational age of 23–30 weeks, with and without a diagnosis of IVH, were reviewed for MAP and arterial pCO(2) in the period up to 7 days before and 3 days after IVH or during the first 10 days of life in cases without IVH. Conclusion: A statistically significant increase in pCO(2) and decrease in MAP in patients with IVH compared with those without were detected. Both the mean values and the mean absolute deviations of CBF were computed in this study, and the latter was significantly higher than in control group. High deviations of CBF, as well as hypercapnia and hypotension, are likely to contribute to the rupture of cerebral blood vessels in preterm infants, and consequently, to the development of IVH.