RESUMEN
AIM: To evaluate the effect of serious periventricular white matter injury (PWMI) on the voiding patterns of preterm infants. METHODS: Free voiding was continuously observed for eight hours in 19 preterm infants with serious PWMI and 16 infants without PWMI. The infants had a gestational age of 32-35 weeks and a postnatal age of 9-15 days. Voiding frequency, voided volume, postvoid residual volume, empty voiding, awake voiding and interrupted voiding were recorded and compared between the two groups of infants. RESULTS: The voiding frequency ((5.1 ± 1.0) vs. (7.0 ± 1.1)), awake voiding percentage ((23 ± 11)% vs. (42 ± 7)%) and empty voiding percentage (lower quartile = 16% vs. 28%, median = 20% vs. 33%, upper quartile = 28% vs. 40%) were significantly lower, while the voided volume ((19.9 ± 6.6) mL vs.(15.9 ± 5.3) mL)and postvoid residual volume (lower quartile = 1 mL. vs. 0 mL., median = 3 mL. vs. 2 mL., upper quartile = 3 mL. vs. 2 mL.) were significantly higher in the injured preterm infants, compared with the healthy infants (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serious PWMI has a significant effect on the voiding pattern of preterm infants, and the senior nerve centre plays a role in the voiding reflex of preterm infants.