Severe intra- and periventricular hemorrhage: role of arteriolosclerosis related to maternal smoke

The authors aimed to describe the atherosclerotic lesions of the cerebral arterioles, as a substrate of their rupture and bleeding for ests. The study was performed on brain of 9 caucasian fetal victims of intra- and periventricular hemorrhage, all grade IV, and 9 control cases. In the 9 victims of hemorrhage the arteriolar wall structure was altered, focally transformed into a deposit of amorphous eosinophilic material. Such changes often affected the full-thickness of the wall, causing rupture and hemorrhage. In 8 of these cases and in 2 victims of the control group the mothers were heavy cigarette smokers (15-20 cigarettes/day) before and during pregnancy. The authors conclude that intra- and periventricular haemorrhage can be ascribed to the toxic effects of prenatal absorption of nicotine.