NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME IN FULL-TERM INFANTS WITH SYMPTOMATIC INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGE OF UNKNOWN ETIOLOGY

During a seven-year period symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage was di agnosed in ten full-term infants from the County of North Jutland, Den mark. The source of the haemorrhage was unknown in six of these patien ts. These infants were followed for a mean period of 50 months. The ha emorrhages were located in the germinal matrix in two, the choroid ple xus in one, the thalamus in one and the occipital region in two infant s. Onset of symptoms, of which the most common was seizures, ranged fr om one to 35 days of age. All infants survived. Five infants developed hydrocephalus and were shunt operated. Three had a normal neurodevelo pmental outcome. Three had an abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome: one had a mild hemiparesis and epilepsy and two were considered to have p sychomotor retardation. The incidence of symptomatic intracranial haem orrhage of unknown aetiology was 1.6 cases per 10,000 live term births . We conclude that the neurodevelopmental outcome was fairly favourabl e although five out of six infants had to be shunted.