Dataset Information

Predicting motor outcome and death in term hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Central gray matter damage, the hallmark of term acute perinatal hypoxia-ischemia, frequently leads to severe cerebral palsy and sometimes death. The precision with which these outcomes can be determined from neonatal imaging has not been fully explored. We evaluated the accuracy of early brain MRI for predicting death, the presence and severity of motor impairment, and ability to walk at 2 years in term infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and basal ganglia-thalamic (BGT) lesions.

Methods

From 1993 to 2007, 175 term infants with evidence of perinatal asphyxia, HIE, and BGT injury seen on early MRI scans were studied. BGT, white matter, posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), and cortex and brainstem abnormality were classified by severity. Motor impairment was staged using the Gross Motor Function Classification System.

Results

The severity of BGT lesions was strongly associated with the severity of motor impairment (Spearman rank correlation 0.77; p < 0.001). The association between white matter, cortical, and brainstem injury and motor impairment was less strong and only BGT injury correlated significantly in a logistic regression model. The predictive accuracy of severe BGT lesions for severe motor impairment was 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.83-0.96). Abnormal PLIC signal intensity predicted the inability to walk independently by 2 years (sensitivity 0.92, specificity 0.77, positive predictive value 0.88, negative predictive value 0.85). Brainstem injury was the only factor with an independent association with death.

Conclusion

We have shown that in term newborns with HIE and BGT injury, early MRI can be used to predict death and specific motor outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Biarge M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3111238 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND: The issue concerning neurologic outcome in patients with perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (H.I.E) has inspired many studies which tried to identify adequate prognostic factors. Our work aims to find among neonatal parameters:- factors which help to predict the risk to develop both Cerebral Palsy (CP) and secondary Epilepsy at one year of age in subjects affected by perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy,- correlations between the neonatal parameters and the variable severity of above mentioned sequelae. METHODS: We have recruited 32 subjects, whose history and neuroimages suggested a perinatal H.I.E and we have retrospectively analysed clinical-instrumental parameters at birth and at one year of age. RESULTS: At one year cut-off, 9 patients developed both secondary epilepsy and CP (28%), whereas the other subjects showed only motor delay (31%), only secondary epilepsy (3%) or only CP (38%). Patients with both the severest sequelae were essentially term infants (only 2/9 were pre-term infants), with normal weight (only 3 LBW) and 7 of them with early pathologic EEG and neuroimages pointing out cortex injuries (typical of term infants). A statistic analysis showed the following correlations: birth weight and global prognosis (chi2 = 14,03; p = 0,04); neonatal clinical pattern and CP's severity (chi2 = 14,03; p = 0,0009); early EEG and CP's severity (chi2 = 4,32; p = 0,04); epileptic onset age and CP and Epilepsy's severity (F = 16,01; p = 0,005).Birth weight represented a predictive factor of early neurological outcome (<1,5 kg birth weight neonates are not at risk of both epilepsy and CP); neonatal clinical pattern and early EEG were correlated with variable severity of CP; an epileptic exordium in the first 6 months led up to a more severe epileptic and paretic outcome. CONCLUSION: From a clinical point of view it is of crucial importance to have some parameters which enable to discriminate patients at risk of more severe sequelae from those at risk of moderate severity outcome.