Asymmetry of cerebral blood flow velocity in low birth weight infants.

Background: In premature infants, intraventricular hemorrhage occurs more commonly in the left than the right hemisphere. We have demonstrated previously that cerebral blood flow velocity is lower in the left than the right middle cerebral artery in the first few hours after birth. This may be due to the open ductus arteriosus.

Low blood pressure among very-low-birth-weight infants with fetal vessel inflammation.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that fetal vessel inflammation (FVI: funisitis and/or fetal vasculitis) is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) over the first week of life and an increased risk of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) among premature infants.

Study Design: A total of 255 infants born at <1350 g to normotensive mothers were stratified by gestational age (GA) and grouped by presence/absence of FVI on placental pathology. Daily highest (Hi) and lowest (Lo) systolic BP (BP(sys)), mean BP (BP(mn)) and diastolic BP (BP(dia)) over first 7 days of life were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and regression analysis.

Prophylactic indomethacin reduces grades III and IV intraventricular hemorrhages when compared to early indomethacin treatment of a patent ductus arteriosus.

Objective: To determine the relative risk of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) between two very early indomethacin treatment strategies.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review of infants <29 weeks gestation and <1350 g who received either indomethacin prophylaxis or very early echocardiography with indomethacin treatment only if the ductus arteriosus was patent.

Results: A total of one hundred and two infants received prophylactic indomethacin (pINDO).