Prevention of intraventricular haemorrhage in preterm infants in Britain and Ireland.

Prevention of intraventricular haemorrhage in preterm infants in Britain and Ireland EDITOR,-Intraventricular or periventricular haemorrhage is a potential cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Many potential treatments have been studied but three in particular have influenced practice in the British Isles: vitamin El; ethamsylate2; and fresh frozen plasma.3 Meta-analysis has shown no consistent benefit for any postnatal preventive treatment .4 We were aware that the use of prophy-laxis against intraventricular haemorrhage varied in different units and we wished to gain a picture of the pattern of prophylaxis use throughout Britain and Ireland. A short postal questionnaire was sent to each neonatal unit asking whether pro-phylaxis was used and what criteria were used Number of Percentage Type of neonatal total replies prophylaxis used units (n=254) Vitamin E 46 18-1 Ethamsylate 53 20-9 Fresh frozen plasma 33 13 Other* 3 1-2 *Of those units using other than ethamsylate, vitamin E, or fresh frozen plasma, two units used routine volume expansion with human albumin solution and one unit is using routine phenobasbitone. to decide on the requirement for prophylaxis. Statistical analysis was done using x2 analysis. Ninety nine point two per cent of units responded, giving a total of 254 replies. Ninety four (37%) units use a prophylactic treatment for the prevention of intraventricu-lar haemorrhage in preterm infants (table). Sixteen point two per cent of neonatal units are using more than one type of prophylaxis.