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Abstract. Ninety-eight infants of less than 35 weeks' gestation, consecutively admitted to a regional neonatal intensive care unit, were followed prior to computerized tomography (CT) scan for clinical signs of subependymal and/or intraventricular hemorrhage. The presence or absence of intracerebral hemorrhage was confirmed by CT scan in all patients, and the severity of hemorrhage was quantitated as mild, moderate, or marked. Thirty-seven out of 98 infants (38%) demonstrated intracerebral hemorrhage on CT scan; 20 of 37 (54%) were predicted clinically. Clinical predictability was related to severity of hemorrhage as quantitated by CT scan. Clinical signs that were found helpful in predicting subependymal and/ or intraventricular hemorrhage were fall in hematocrit, failure of rise in hematocrit with transfusion of packed red blood cells, tight fontanel, decrease in spontaneous activity, decreased tone, abnormal eye signs, and seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. In a study population of 151 newborn infants less than 35 weeks gestation, who required intensive care for more than 24 hours, clinical and biochemical factors associated with the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) were prospectively evaluated. The diagnosis of IVH was confirmed by computed tomography, ventricular tap, or autopsy. Alveolar rupture was highly correlated with the presence of IVH. Other factors associated with IVH were: hypoxemia, hypercarbia, mechanical ventilation, peak inflation pressure >25 cm H[sub 2]O, inspiratory to expiratory ratio >1:1, patent ductus arteriosus, bicarbonate administration after the first day of life, volume expansion in the first day of life, hypotension, stages III and IV hyaline membrane disease, and intrauterine growth retardation. Early bicarbonate administration (first day), sodium administration >8 mEq/kg/day, acidosis and birth weight is less than or equal to 1,200 gm were associated with IVH only in the infants who died with IVH. Factors not associated with IVH were Apgar is less than or equal to 5 at one and five minutes, birth weight, gestational age, male sex, osmolality is greater than or equal to 300, serum sodium is greater than or equal to 150, hypothermia, continuous distending pressure > 6 cm H[sub 2]O, positive end-expiratory pressure > 5 cm H[sub 2]O, outborn birth, obstetric trauma, or coagulopathy. Certain therapeutic interventions may lead to an increase incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage in the high-risk preterm infant. Pediatrics 66:42-49, 1980; intraventricular hemorrhage, alveolar rupture, hyaline membrane disease, mechanical ventilation, pneumothorax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]