<http://purl.org/dc/terms/description>
"Objective [ ]\r\nThe association of chorioamnionitis and non-cystic white matter injury, a common brain injury in premature newborns, remains controversial. Our objectives were to determine the association of chorioamnionitis and postnatal risk factors with white matter injury, and the effects of chorioamnionitis on early brain development, using\r\nadvanced MR imaging.\r\nMethods [ ]\r\nNinety-two preterm newborns (24-32 weeks gestation) were studied at a median age of 31.9 weeks and again at 40.3 weeks gestation. Histopathological chorioamnionitis\r\nand white matter injury were scored using validated systems. Measures of brain\r\nmetabolism (N-acetylaspartate/choline and lactate/choline) on magnetic resonance\r\nspectroscopy, and microstructure (average diffusivity and fractional anisotropy) on\r\ndiffusion tensor imaging were calculated from predefined brain regions.\r\nResults [ ]\r\nThirty-one newborns (34%) were exposed to histopathological chorioamnionitis,\r\nand 26 (28%) had white matter injury. Histopathological chorioamnionitis was not\r\nassociated with an increased risk of white matter injury (relative risk: 1.2; P=0.6).\r\nNewborns with postnatal infections and hypotension requiring therapy were at higher risk\r\nof white matter injury (P&lt;0.03). Adjusting for age at scan and regions of interest,\r\nhistopathological chorioamnionitis did not significantly affect brain metabolic and\r\nmicrostructural development (P&gt;0.1). In contrast, white matter injury was associated with lower N-acetylaspartate/choline (\u20138.9%; P=0.009) and lower white matter fractional\r\nanisotropy (\u201311.9%; P=0.01).\r\nInterpretation [ ]\r\nHistopathological chorioamnionitis does not appear to be associated with an\r\nincreased risk of white matter injury on magnetic resonance imaging or with\r\nabnormalities of brain development. In contrast, postnatal infections and hypotension are\r\nassociated with an increased risk of white matter injury in the premature newborn.   Final published version [ ] Ann Neurol. 2009 Aug;66(2):155-64. URL: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/76507645/home"@en
<https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/facultyresearchandpublications/52383/items/1.0048541>