Introduction:

The incidence of collateral hepatic lesions in neonates has increased in the last years. Due to the unspecific clinical data and lack of ultrasonographic control, a timely diagnosis is quite important. The purpose of this case study is to identify risk factors related to the secondary hepatic lesions frequently reported in neonates, such as hematomas and hepatic candidiasis.

Material and methods:

This is a retrospective case-control study based on patients from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital Español de México that showed hepatic lesions during the first week of life.

Results:

Low weight for gestational age increases eight times the likelihood of liver damage compared to normal weight infants. Similarly, newborns with a history of maternal infection during pregnancy were 3.8 times more likely to present liver lesions than those without a history of maternal infection.

Discussion:

Immunological immaturity of preterm and low birth weight infants has proved a conditioning factor for having hepatic lesions. Similarly, bacterial selection by antimicrobial prophylaxis when placing umbilical catheters promotes the presence of fungal liver lesions. Another risk factor highlighted in our study was the risk of hepatic lesions secondary to a maternal infection during pregnancy due to a possible upward spread of the infection.