Placental fetal vascular malperfusion, neonatal neurologic morbidity, and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association of placental fetal vascular malperfusion lesions with neonatal brain injury and adverse infant neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Data Sources: PubMed and Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to July 2022.

Study Eligibility Criteria: We included cohort and case-control studies reporting the associations of fetal vascular malperfusion lesions with neonatal encephalopathy, perinatal stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and infant neurodevelopmental and cognitive outcomes.

Methods: Data were analyzed by including fetal vascular malperfusion lesions as an exposure variable and brain injuries or neurodevelopmental impairment as outcomes using random-effects models. The effect of moderators, such as gestational age or study type, was assessed by subgroup analysis. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed by applying the Observational Study Quality Evaluation method.

Results: Out of the 1115 identified articles, 26 were selected for quantitative analysis. The rates of neonatal central nervous system injury (neonatal encephalopathy or perinatal stroke) in term or near-term infants were more common among fetal vascular malperfusion cases (n=145) than among controls (n=1623) (odds ratio, 4.00; 95% confidence interval, 2.72-5.90). In premature deliveries, fetal vascular malperfusion lesions did not influence the risk of intracranial hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia (odds ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-2.18). Fetal vascular malperfusion-associated risk of abnormal infant neurodevelopmental outcome (314 fetal vascular malperfusion cases and 1329 controls) was modulated by gestational age being higher in term infants (odds ratio, 5.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.59-15.91) than in preterm infants (odds ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-2.56). Abnormal infant cognitive development and mental development were more common among fetal vascular malperfusion cases (n=241) than among controls (n=2477) (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-3.27). The type of study (cohort vs case-control) did not influence the association between fetal vascular malperfusion and subsequent infant brain injury or abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome.

Conclusion: The findings of cohort and case-control studies indicate a considerable association between fetal vascular malperfusion placental lesions and increased risk of brain injury in term neonates, and neurodevelopmental impairment in both term and preterm infants. A diagnosis of placental fetal vascular malperfusion should be taken into consideration by both pediatricians and neurologists during the follow-up of infants at risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.