Outcome of 249 infants of less than 29 weeks gestational age.

The aim of this paper was to report the Vital and neurological outcome of 2 49 preterm infants of less than 29 weeks born between 1990 and 1996, and in cluded in a prospective study until two years of age. Results. - The initial mortality rate was 19%. This was related to gestatio nal age and severe trans-fontanellar ultrasonographically (TFU) detected ab nomalities. The rate of follow-up at two years of age was 98%. Neurological sequelae amounted to 12.8%, including four cases of deafness. The possibil ity of survival without neurological sequelae increased from 52% at 24-25 w eeks to 72% at 26-28 weeks of gestational age (p < 0.005). The presence of sequelae was significantly related to severe cranial ultrasonographically-d etected abnormalities, to parental social level, and to early neonatal anem ia. Normal TFU and/or isolated periventricular hyperechogenicity could not exclude the presence of neurological sequelae which, however, appeared to b e less severe than at the onset. Conclusion. - Gestational age, severe TFU abnormalities and neonatal anemia play a major role in the rate of mortality and in the neurological sequela e in preterm infants, and can influence the decisions concerning the treatm ent of this pediatric population. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medica les Elsevier SAS.