Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the survival rate and the prevalence of cerebral palsy in very low birth weight (VLBW) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants as well as the risk factors for the development of cerebral palsy. METHOD: We reviewed medical records of 471 VLBW infants admitted to Asan medical center from 1989 to 1997 retrospectively. RESULTS: Ninety seven infants died before discharge from hospital, 7 died during follow-up, 55 status unknown due to discharge against medical advice, 26 discontinued follow-up. At corrected chronologic age of 2 years old, the prevalence of cerebral palsy was 10.5%, delayed development 4.5% and normal development 85.0%. Survival rate and prevalence of cerebral palsy among survivors remained statistically insignificant with time. Cerebral palsy was found in 8.5% of VLBW and 19.2% of ELBW. Decreasing gestation, abnormal neurosonographic findings, assisted ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis were risk factors associated with increased odds for cerebral palsy. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cerebral palsy in VLBW infants admitted to this hospital were comparable with recent studies from developed countries, and some of the predictors of cerebral palsy, ie, gestation period, neurosonographic findings, history of respirator use and sepsis, were also similar to those of western countries.