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Am J Perinatol 1997; 14(5): 303-307
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-994149
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1997 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Effect of Magnesium Sulfate on the Development of Cystic Periventricular Leukomalacia in Preterm Infants

Ross B. FineSmith1 , Kevin Roche2 , Paul B. Yellin3 , Kevin K. Walsh4 , Calvin Shen5 , Mark Zeglis1 , Atiya Kahn1 , Irving Fish1
  • 1Department of Neurology, New York University, New York
  • 2Department of Pediatric Radiology, New York University, New York
  • 3Department of Pediatrics, New York University, New York
  • 4Developmental Disabilities Center, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, New Jersey
  • 5Department of Pediatrics, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, New Jersey
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Publication Date:
04 March 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

To determine if magnesium sulfate has an effect on the development of cystic periventricular leukomalacia in preterm infants, this retrospective case control study was conducted. There were 23,382 infants born at three teaching hospitals in the metropolitan New York area from January 1992 to December 1994. Four hundred ninety-two infants met our entrance criteria. Criteria included a birth weight <1750 g, survival to at least 7 days of life and at least one cranial ultrasound after 7 days of life. Infants exposed to magnesium sulfate in utero were less likely to develop periventricular leukomalacia. Two of 18 (11%) infants with periventricular leukomalacia were exposed to magnesium sulfate in-utero compared to 14 of 36 controls (39%) (p = 0.035) (OR = 0.196, 95% Cl = 0.039-0.988). Pre-eclampsia as an independent factor was not associated with a reduced risk (p = 0.251) (OR = 0.294, 95% Cl = 0.033-2.65). Preterm infants exposed to antenatal magnesium sulfate were found to have a reduced risk of developing cystic periventricular leukomalacia.

Keywords

Periventricular leukomalacia - preterm infants - neuroprotection - cerebral palsy - magnesium sulfate - preterm labor