The unfavorable impact of prematurity on the developing cerebellum was recently recognized, but the outcome after impaired cerebellar development as a prematurity-related complication is hitherto not adequately documented. Therefore we compared 31 preterm patients with disrupted cerebellar development to a control group of 31 gender and gestational age matched premature infants with normal cerebellar development. Supratentorial brain injuries during the neonatal period were comparable between the groups. At a minimum age of 24 months motor and mental development was assessed by standardized tests. Disrupted cerebellar development was associated with significantly poorer scores both in the subtests for neuromotor (p < 0.001) and mental development (p < 0.001), respectively. Mixed CP was diagnosed in 48% of affected patients, whereas none of the patients of the control group had mixed CP. Microcephaly and epilepsy were significantly related to disrupted cerebellar development. Preterm patients with disrupted cerebellar development exhibit poorer outcome results in all investigated variables. The role of the cerebellum in neurodevelopment after prematurity seems to be underestimated so far.

Our study which reports the largest number of babies breastfed with exposure to AZA suggests that breastfeeding does not increase the risk of infections.

No abstract

Oliguria/anuria, multiorgan failure and immaturity were significant risk factors for mortality in preterm infants with renal failure. Further studies and/or more registry data are needed to determine whether these infants died with or from renal failure, and whether dialysis would improve outcome in this special population.

Continuous neurophysiological monitoring by aEEG may be of value in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of preterm infants with progressive PHH.

Fetal MRI should replace early postnatal MRI in infants with CNS anomalies.

No abstract

MRI may provide additional information to ultrasound scan in fetuses with spina bifida and consecutive neurosurgery; in fetuses with other skeletal deformities additional information may be expected only in rare cases.