The comparison between the ultrasound color Doppler of the MCA in preterm infants with ICH and normal controls

Abstract

Preterm infants are at high risk for a range of diseases and problems, including intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The aim of this study is to comparison between the ultrasound color Doppler of the MCA in preterm infants with ICH and normal controls. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted for one year from September 2016 to the end of August 2017 in Al-Zahra and Taleghani educational and medical centers in Tabriz. In this study, 120 infants (60 preterm infants with intracranial hemorrhage and 60 healthy preterm infants) less than 37 weeks old were included in the study for one year. The sampling method was random. Birth age, sex, birth weight and other information in the questionnaire were recorded and in the first 3-4 days after birth, color Doppler of the infants MCA was performed. Then serial Doppler ultrasound was performed weekly (first 4 weeks after delivery) for one month. The collected data were recorded and the findings were compared between the two groups and the role of color Doppler of the MCA as a primary parameter in terms of ICH was investigated. Results: In this study, among all the variables related to demographic and background of infants, gestational age (P = 0.001) and head circumference (P = 0.025) in normal preterm infants were significantly higher than preterm infants with intracranial hemorrhage. There was also a statistically significant difference between between these two groups of infants in terms of blood groups (P = 0.001), physical symptoms (P = 0.018) and respiratory indices (P = 0.040). Among all the variables related to the status of pregnancy and delivery in the mothers of the studied infants, blood groups (P = 0.005), pregnancy history (P = 0.034), medical history (P = 0.006) and pregnancy and delivery problems (P = 0.001) there was a statistically significant difference between these two groups of infants. Among the Doppler parameters in the first week after birth, none of the parameters AT, S/D, PI, RI and PSV were statistically significant difference between the two groups of preterm infants with ICH and normal preterm infants (P <0.05). Also, among the MCA Doppler parameters related to preterm infants with ICH in the period of 4 weeks after birth, AT parameter in the second week (R = 0.436), S/D parameter in the first (R = 0.531) and the second (R = 0.609) week, PI parameter in the first (R = 0.470) and the second (R = 0.671) week, RI parameter in the first (R = 0.536) and the second (R = 0.527) week and PSV parameter in the first (R = 0.750), second (R = 0.648) and fourth (R = 0.821) week there was a significant relationship between bleeding side and healthy side (P <0.05).