White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing Link

Background. White matter damage (WMD) is a prime risk factor for cerebral palsy, in part occurring unexplained. Though primarily a problem of preterm infants, there is growing evidence that in large newborns cephalopelvic disproportion and prolonged labor are involved. Objective. To explore both inc...

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Main Authors: Arne Jensen, Bert Holmer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Obstetrics and Gynecology International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2120835
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author Arne Jensen
Bert Holmer
author_facet Arne Jensen
Bert Holmer
author_sort Arne Jensen
collection DOAJ
description Background. White matter damage (WMD) is a prime risk factor for cerebral palsy, in part occurring unexplained. Though primarily a problem of preterm infants, there is growing evidence that in large newborns cephalopelvic disproportion and prolonged labor are involved. Objective. To explore both incidence of and morphometric risk factors for WMD in term-born infants. Study Design. We related growth variables and risk factors of term-born infants to WMD (61/4,725) using odds ratios of z-score bands. Results. The key result is the novel observation that head circumference is a prime and unique index for WMD in term-born neonates over the whole range of centiles (U-shaped; WMD (%) = 3.1168–0.12797∗HC (centile) + 0.0014741∗HC2; p<0.0001). This suggests different mechanisms for WMD in the lowest and highest z-score band. In the latter, cephalic pressure gradients and prolonged labor with preserved neonatal vitality prevail, whereas in the previous one, acute and chronic oxygen deprivation with reduced vitality predominate. Conclusions. The fact that seemingly healthy term-born neonates are not screened by head imaging, in spite of both large head circumference and prolonged labor, is considered to be the missing link between the insult that escapes diagnosis and the development of unexplained developmental delay and cerebral palsy in childhood.
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spelling doaj-art-a1febbf00b7e45199dd23b78f728aae62025-08-20T02:20:42ZengWileyObstetrics and Gynecology International1687-95891687-95972018-01-01201810.1155/2018/21208352120835White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing LinkArne Jensen0Bert Holmer1Campus Clinic Gynecology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 140, 44799 Bochum, GermanyDepartment of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Klinikum Wilhelmshaven, Friedrich-Paffrath-Straße 100, 26389 Wilhelmshaven, GermanyBackground. White matter damage (WMD) is a prime risk factor for cerebral palsy, in part occurring unexplained. Though primarily a problem of preterm infants, there is growing evidence that in large newborns cephalopelvic disproportion and prolonged labor are involved. Objective. To explore both incidence of and morphometric risk factors for WMD in term-born infants. Study Design. We related growth variables and risk factors of term-born infants to WMD (61/4,725) using odds ratios of z-score bands. Results. The key result is the novel observation that head circumference is a prime and unique index for WMD in term-born neonates over the whole range of centiles (U-shaped; WMD (%) = 3.1168–0.12797∗HC (centile) + 0.0014741∗HC2; p<0.0001). This suggests different mechanisms for WMD in the lowest and highest z-score band. In the latter, cephalic pressure gradients and prolonged labor with preserved neonatal vitality prevail, whereas in the previous one, acute and chronic oxygen deprivation with reduced vitality predominate. Conclusions. The fact that seemingly healthy term-born neonates are not screened by head imaging, in spite of both large head circumference and prolonged labor, is considered to be the missing link between the insult that escapes diagnosis and the development of unexplained developmental delay and cerebral palsy in childhood.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2120835
spellingShingle Arne Jensen
Bert Holmer
White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing Link
Obstetrics and Gynecology International
title White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing Link
title_full White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing Link
title_fullStr White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing Link
title_full_unstemmed White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing Link
title_short White Matter Damage in 4,725 Term-Born Infants Is Determined by Head Circumference at Birth: The Missing Link
title_sort white matter damage in 4 725 term born infants is determined by head circumference at birth the missing link
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2120835
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