Neonatology News

The three pathophysiologic contributors to septic shock include varying combinations of hypovolemia (relative > absolute), decreased vascular tone or vasoplegia, and myocardial dysfunction. The three pillars of hemodynamic support include fluid boluses, vasopressors with or without inotrope infusions. The three end-points of hemodynamic resuscitation include an adequate cardiac output (CO), adequate mean arterial pressure (MAP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) for organ perfusion, and avoiding congestion (worse filling) parameters...

Preterm birth remains a significant global health concern as it can lead to various health complications and long-term developmental challenges. Early nutrition intervention plays a crucial role in optimizing the growth, development, and overall health outcomes of premature infants. This review aims to summarize and analyze the existing literature regarding the effect of early nutrition interventions on premature babies. A comprehensive search was conducted through various electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, focusing on nutrition interventions specifically targeting premature infants...

INTRODUCTION: Approximately half of very preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) fail treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) and need mechanical ventilation (MV). OBJECTIVES: Our aim with this study was to evaluate if nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) during less invasive surfactant treatment (LISA) can improve respiratory outcome compared with NCPAP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out an open-label randomized controlled trial at tertiary neonatal intensive care units in which infants with RDS born at 25+0 -31+6 weeks of gestation between December 1, 2020 and October 31, 2022 were supported with NCPAP before and after surfactant administration and received NIPPV or NCPAP during LISA...

INTRODUCTION: Antenatal antibiotic exposure has been suggested as a risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We aimed to summarize the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies on this potential association. METHODS: PubMed/Medline and Embase databases were searched. BPD was classified as BPD28 (supplemental oxygen during 28 days or at postnatal day 28), BPD36 (supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks postmenstrual age), BPD36 or death, and BPD-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH)...

BACKGROUND: The cyclooxygenase inhibitor ibuprofen may be used to treat patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants. Whether selective early treatment of large PDAs with ibuprofen would improve short-term outcomes is not known. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating early treatment (≤72 hours after birth) with ibuprofen for a large PDA (diameter of ≥1.5 mm with pulsatile flow) in extremely preterm infants (born between 23 weeks 0 days' and 28 weeks 6 days' gestation)...

OBJECTIVE:  Preterm infants have high zinc (Zn) requirements and are generally believed to be in a negative Zn balance in the early period of life. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of high-dose Zn supplementation in very low birth weight (VLBW: infants with birth weight < 1.5 kg) infants on feeding intolerance and development of mortality and/or morbidities including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and late-onset sepsis (LOS). STUDY DESIGN:  This is a prospective randomized trial...

BACKGROUND: Caffeine is commonly used as therapy for apnea of prematurity and has shown potential in preventing other conditions in preterm neonates. However, the optimal timing for caffeine therapy remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the outcomes of early versus late administration of caffeine in preterm neonates. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies comparing 0-2 days to ≥3 days caffeine introduction in preterm neonates...

OBJECTIVE: The effect of prophylactic surfactant nebulisation (SN) is unclear. We aimed to determine whether prophylactic SN improves early lung aeration. DESIGN: Parallel, randomised clinical trial, conducted between March 2021 and January 2022. SETTING: Delivery room (DR) of a tertiary neonatal centre in Zurich, Switzerland. PATIENTS: Preterm infants between 26 0/7 and 31 6/7 weeks gestation INTERVENTIONS: Infants were randomised to receive positive distending pressure alone or positive distending pressure and additional SN (200 mg/kg; poractant alfa) using a customised vibrating membrane nebuliser...

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), an inflammatory-mediated chronic lung disease, is common in extremely preterm infants born before 28 weeks' gestation and is associated with an increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental and respiratory outcomes in childhood. Effective and safe prophylactic therapies for BPD are urgently required. Systemic corticosteroids reduce rates of BPD in the short term but are associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes if given to ventilated infants in the first week after birth...

INTRODUCTION: Accurate assessment of the risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is critical to determine the prognosis and identify infants who will benefit from preventive therapies. Clinical prediction models can support the identification of high-risk patients. In this study, we investigated the potential risk factors for BPD and compared machine learning models for predicting the outcome of BPD/death on days 1, 7, 14, and 28 in preterm infants. We also developed a local BPD estimator...

OBJECTIVES: Early diagnosis of critical congenital heart defects (CCHD) improves survival. We evaluated the relative contributions of prenatal ultrasound, neonatal pulse oximetry screening (POS), and neonatal physical examination (NPE) to the early detection (before discharge) of CCHD in the context of increasing prenatal detection, and POS being a national standard since 2013. METHODS: Retrospective, nationwide population-based study. All full-term live-born infants with CCHD in Sweden between 2014 and 2019 were included...

With the advancement of neonatal care and routine blood pressure monitoring, neonatal hypertension (NHT) has been increasingly recognised over the past few decades. NHT is known to cause target organ damage and risk of renal dysfunction later in life. However, diagnosis and management of NHT remain challenging, and there is a lack of evidence on the persistence of hypertension beyond the neonatal period and factors predicting its severity. This study aimed to identify risk factors, clinical profiles, predictors of the severity of hypertension, and short-term outcomes of NHT...

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) represents a significant achievement in the translation of scientific research to clinical application, but it is currently the only neuroprotective treatment for HIE. This review aims to revisit the use of TH for HIE and its longitudinal impact on patient outcomes to readers new to the field of HIE. We discuss how emerging therapies address the broader pathophysiology of injury progression in the neonatal brain days to years after HIE...

BACKGROUND: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is prescribed for preterm infants until nutrition needs are met via the enteral route, but unanswered questions remain regarding PN best practices in this population. METHODS: An interdisciplinary committee was assembled to answer 12 questions concerning the provision of PN to preterm infants. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) process was used. Questions addressed parenteral macronutrient doses, lipid injectable emulsion (ILE) composition, and clinically relevant outcomes, including PNALD, early childhood growth, and neurodevelopment...

INTRODUCTION: Chest X-ray (CXR) is the most prevalent method for evaluating lung expansion in high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of chest radiography with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in determining lung expansion. METHODS: This prospective study included newborns who required HFOV and were monitored in a neonatal intensive care unit. A single neonatologist assessed lung expansion with CXR and POCUS to measure the costal level of the right hemidiaphragm and compared the results...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recommendations made by several scientific bodies advocate for adoption of evidence-based interventions during the first 60 min of postnatal life, also known as the 'Golden Hour', to better support the fetal-to-neonatal transition. Implementation of a Golden Hour protocol leads to improved short-term and long-term outcomes, especially in extremely premature and extreme low-birth-weight (ELBW) neonates. Unfortunately, several recent surveys have highlighted persistent variability in the care provided to this vulnerable population in the first hour of life...

Childhood allergy, including asthma, eczema, and food allergies, is a major global health burden, with prevalence increasing dramatically and novel interventions needed. Emerging research suggests that human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), complex glycans found in breastmilk, have allergy-protective properties, indicating exciting therapeutic potential. This review evaluates current literature on the role of HMOs in allergy, assesses underlying immunological mechanisms, and discusses future research needed to translate findings into clinical implications...

Approaching discussions and introducing the idea of dysmorphology to parents and families can be perceived as difficult and even daunting by health professionals resulting in uneasiness in how best to initiate important dialogues sensitively and accessibly.Here, we offer a structured approach to the assessment of, and subsequent initial discussion around, dysmorphism and potential syndromic features in babies and children.

BACKGROUND: Germinal matrix hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH-IVH) may contribute to neonatal morbidity and mortality and result in long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae. Appropriate pain and sedation management in ventilated preterm infants may decrease the risk of GMH-IVH; however, it might be associated with harms. OBJECTIVES: To summarize the evidence from systematic reviews regarding the effects and safety of pharmacological interventions related to pain and sedation management in order to prevent GMH-IVH in ventilated preterm infants...