Abstract
Neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging were performed in the neonatal
period in 58 full-term infants who presented with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the patterns of neurological abnormalities and
their correlation to brain lesions on MRI. The prognostic value of the neurological
examination performed at different times in the neonatal period was also evaluated.
Our results showed that specific clinical patterns can be observed in infants with
HIE and these can be related to the pattern of lesion on brain MRI. In particular,
while infants with normal MRI or minimal changes tend to show only minor tone abnormalities
after the first week of life, infants with more severe lesions such as basal ganglia
lesions show persistent and diffuse neurological abnormalities. Infants with white
matter changes but intact basal ganglia show a different clinical pattern with improved
sucking reflex and behaviour and less severe tone abnormalities.
Our results also suggested that the neurological examination performed after the second
week of life is a reliable indicator of outcome in these infants.
Key words
Neurological examination - Newborn - HIE - MRI
