Characterization of Extremely Preterm Infants with Acute Neurological Complications: A Five-Year Study in a Neonatal Unit of Northeastern Colombia

Introduction: prematurity is a major cause of age-related neurological disorders, including ischemic, hemorrhagic, or brain immaturity-related injuries, which are associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Objective: to describe the characteristics of extremely premature newborns with acute neurological complications in a neonatal intensive care unit in northeastern Colombia over a period of five years. Methodology: a descriptive study was conducted, including historical data of extremely premature newborns (less than 28 weeks of gestational age), born between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2022, treated at the San Luis Maternal and Child Clinic, Bucaramanga, Colombia. Results: twenty-one patients with neurological complications were identified, 61.9% of whom were male. All presented with intraventricular hemorrhage, with grade I (38%) being the most frequent according to the Volpe classification, followed by grade IV (33.3%). Neonatal seizures occurred in 35% of patients and periventricular leukomalacia in 4.7%. Of the patients with neonatal seizures, 75% received effective treatment with phenobarbital monotherapy. The final mortality rate for extremely premature infants with neurological complications was 47.6%. Conclusion: neurological complications are more frequent at lower gestational ages, hence their importance in extremely premature newborns; the most frequently observed complication was intraventricular hemorrhage. It is important to maintain prevention and early intervention protocols and continue investigating long-term outcomes to implement prevention and timely management strategies in this vulnerable population.