Clinical Study of Perinatal Infarcts / 대한주산의학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Perinatal infarcts are an important cause of neonatal neurologic morbidity accounting up to 10~20% of neonatal seizures and annual incidence rate is about one in 4,000 live births. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical presentation, course, radiologic and Electroencephlogram (EEG) findings and to evaluate the neurologic outcome of cerebral infarcts. METHODS: Between January 2000 to May 2004, 8 of 40,204 delivered newborns (0.02%) were diagnosed as having cerebral infarcts. The clinical presentation, course, radiologic and EEG findings were characterized by retrospective chart review and neurological outcome was evaluated by neurological examination and developmental test (Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II) at out-patient department. RESULTS: There were 5 males and 3 females. Six cases of them were full term, and other 2 cases were near-term neonates. Five cases presented neonatal seizure and 3 presented apnea or respiratory distress. All cases showed abnormal finding in the cranial ultrasonography that was performed immediately after the first symptoms. After then, diagnosis of cerebral infarct was confirmed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Abnormal EEG finding was found in the 4 cases and a correlation between the location of these abnormalities and cerebral infarcts existed. The location of infarct was on the left hemisphere in five of the 8 cases and predominantly in the distribution of the middle cerebral artery. 7 cases were followed and the mean duration of follow up was 17 months (range 3~42 months). Neurologic outcome was normal in 3 cases and abnormal in 4 cases. Mild hemiparesis was present in 3 cases and recurrent epilepsy in 1 case. Developmental test was performed in 4 cases, all of them were normal. CONCLUSION: Neonatal seizure is an important presentation as the first sign of perinatal infarcts and cranial ultrasound can be used for initial evaluation of these perinatal infarcts. Neuological sequelae remains over half of the patients. Performing long term follow-up study of large cohort study is needed.