Influence of intracranial hemorrhage and neonatal seizures on the neurological and psychomotor development of premature infants at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil Influência da hemorragia intracraniana e crises neonatais sobre o desenvolvimento neurológico e psicomotor de recém-nascidos prematuros no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brasil

This study compared the results of neurodevelopmental examination at 6 months' corrected age of premature infants with neonatal seizures and/or intracranial hemorrhage and normal premature infants. There was a statistically significant correlation (p=0.000007) between intracranial hemorrhage and seizures in the group of 68 premature infants seen in the neurodevelopmental outpatient service at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil. Intracranial hemorrhage was significantly associated with multiparity (p=0.02). The neurodevelopmental examination at 6 months' corrected age revealed that patients who suffered neonatal intracranial hemorrhage and/or seizures had inappropriate muscle tone, strength and reflexes, as well as delay in head control. Conclusion: we compared the results of neurodevelopmental examinations of two groups of premature infants at 6 months' corrected age. The difference in neurological development at 6 months' corrected age was statistically significant when comparison was corrected for premature infants who had neonatal seizures and periventricular hemorrhage.<br>Este estudo comparou os resultados do exame do desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor aos seis meses de idade corrigida de lactentes prematuros com crises neonatais e/ou hemorragia intracraniana com lactentes prematuros sem estas intercorrências. Houve uma correlação estatisticamente significativa (p=0.000007) entre hemorragia intracraniana e crises neonatais no grupo de 68 lactentes prematuros vistos no ambulatório de neurodesenvolvimento do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brasil. Hemorragia intracraniana foi significativamente associada com multiparidade (p=0.02). O exame do desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor aos 6 meses de idade corrigida mostrou que pacientes que sofreram hemorragia intracraniana neonatal e/ou crises neonatais tiveram tônus, forças e reflexos inapropriados, bem como atraso no controle do sustento cefálico. Conclusões: Comparamos os resultados dos exames de desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor dos dois grupos de lactentes prematuros aos 6 meses de idade corrigida. A diferença no desenvolvimento neurológico aos 6 meses de idade corrigida foi estatisticamente significativa quando comparado com lactentes prematuros que tiveram crises neonatais e/ou hemorragia periventricular