RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The histopathological features of the placenta are central for screening a lot of pregnancy related disorders associated to hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury in preterm infants that can jeopardize his long term neurodevelopment. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between placental lesions and early hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury in very low birth weight infants (VLBW). METHODS: This is a case-control study of VLBW born at Sardá Maternity Hospital, Buenos Aires, between 2006 and 2012. Inclusion criterias were gestational age ÔëÑ 24 and Ôëñ 32 weeks and birth weight between 500 g and 1500 g, Exclusion criterias were multiple pregnancy, congenital anomalies, intrauterine infections and mortality before 24 hours of life. RESULTS: 198 VLBW were included, 49 cases and 149 controls. There was no significant difference in the incidence of histopathological lesions between the groups, although inflammatory placental lesions predominated in cases (67,3
) compared with controls (48
, p= 0.018). Intraventricular hemorrhage was the most common injury. On bivariate analysis inflammation was the only placenta lesion associated with early hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury (OR 7.0, 95
CI 1.54 - 31.71) whereas the risk of severe hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury was twofold greater in the presence of inflammation (p= 0.20). After adjusting for perinatal variables, placental lesions were not independently associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury. There was a trend towards lesser risk of hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury with increasing gestational age. CONCLUSION: Placental injuries were not independently associated with hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury within 72 hours of life, although inflammation showed a clear predominance un cases.