Outcome of Preterm Infants with Transient Cystic Periventricular Leukomalacia on Serial Cranial Imaging Up to Term Equivalent Age

Objective To determine the outcome of preterm infants whose cystic periventricular leukomalacia “disappeared” on serial screening cranial imaging studies. Study design Infants ≤26 weeks of gestation born between 2002 and 2012 who had cranial imaging studies at least twice, the most abnormal study at Results Of 7063 eligible infants, 433 (6.1%) had cystic periventricular leukomalacia. Among the 433 infants with cystic periventricular leukomalacia, cystic periventricular leukomalacia disappeared in 76 (18%), persisted in 87 (20%), and 270 (62%) had late cystic periventricular leukomalacia. Loss to follow-up ranged between 3% and 13%. Death or NDI was more common in infants with disappeared cystic periventricular leukomalacia compared with those with no cystic periventricular leukomalacia (38 of 72 [53%] vs 1776 of 6376 [28%]; OR [95% CI] 2.8 [1.8-4.6]). Disappeared, persistent, and late cystic periventricular leukomalacia were all also independently associated with NDI (OR 1.17, 1.21, and 1.16, respectively). Conclusions Infants with “disappeared” cystic periventricular leukomalacia are at increased risk of adverse outcome similar to infants with persistent or late cystic periventricular leukomalacia.