Risk Factors of Linder et al for Intraventricular Hemorhage (IVH) in a Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) Premature Infant

 

Patient selection: very low birth weight infant (< 1,500 g)

 

Outcome: intraventricular hemorrhage, grade 3 or 4

 

Risk factors from multivariate analysis:

(1) early sepsis (odds ratio 8.2)

(2) in vitro fertilization or other fertilization treatment (odds ratio 4.3)

(3) no antenatal doses of corticosteroids (odds ratio 0.52 per dose)

(4) not having a low PaCO2 during first 24 hours (odds ratio 0.9 for low PaCO2)

 

Additional factors noted on the univariate analysis:

(1) high FIO2 during first 24 hours

(2) pneumothorax

(3) lower number of suctionings (higher number protective)

(4) lower first hematocrit (higher first hematocrit protective)