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National survey of periventricular leukomalacia in Japan
Author(s) -
Fujimoto Shinji,
Togari Hajime,
Takashima Sachio,
Funato Masahisa,
Yoshioka Hiroshi,
Ibara Satoshi,
Tatsuno Masaru
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-200x.1998.tb01919.x
Subject(s) - medicine , periventricular leukomalacia , medical emergency , gestational age , pregnancy , genetics , biology
Background: Clarification of the present status of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) in Japan. Methods: Questionnaires were mailed to the leading neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and rehabilitation centers for children. Results: The incidence of PVL in the group of surviving preterm infants of gestational ages less than 33 weeks was 4.8–4.9% on ultrasound and 7.7–7.9% on magnetic resonance imaging and/or computed tomography. The incidence of PVL did not decrease between 1990 and 1994. The incidence of PVL in the NICU varied from 0 to 47.1%. Infants from multiple pregnancies had a higher incidence (9.1%) of PVL than those from single pregnancies (6.2%). The proportion of PVL in all patients in rehabilitation centers with cerebral palsy (CP) has increased recently. Conclusions: It was roughly calculated that about 750 cases of CP with PVL occurred annually in Japan, thus accounting for about one‐third of the total number of cases of CP.