Low Grade Intraventricular Haemorrhage and Five-Year School Adaptation of Very Preterm Infants

Author(s): Apprioual Géraldine*, Rozé Jean-Christophe, Rouger Valérie, Gascoin Géraldine, Nail Benallegue and Flamant Cyril

Objectives: Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is a frequent morbidity in the preterm infant’s population. Low grade IVH’s impact on neurodevelopment is not clear since data on the subject is contradictory. We aimed to study the effect of low grade IVH on school outcome at 5 years of age in a very preterm population.

Study design: Infants born preterm before 33 gestational weeks (GW) with low grade IVH or no IVH and followed in the LIFT (Loire Infant Follow Up Team) cohort with a school evaluation were included in the study. At least an ultrasound screening was performed during the first week of life for all infants. The school outcome is composed of the child’s academic situation and of the teacher’s evaluation of GSA (Global School Adaptation) score at 5 years.

Results: Among the 3206 infants with no IVH or low grade IVH during their initial hospitalisation, 2045 (64%) had a school evaluation at 5 years. No statistical difference on school outcome was found in a univariate analysis between infants without IVH, those with unilateral IVH and those with bilateral IVH (p = 0.542). There was no difference either after a set of logistic regressions for infants with no IVH, unilateral and for bilateral low grade IVH.

Conclusion: Low grade IVH seems to have no significant impact on 5-year neurodevelopment and academic abilities in our very preterm infant’s population. This is an important result for clinicians and parents regarding prognosis of infants with neonatal low grade IVH.