BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia has recently been described as a risk factor for the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a proliferative vascular disease of the retina that primarily affects premature infants. This study was to evaluate the relationship of hyperglycemia and the development of ROP in premature infants less than 32 ...

BACKGROUND: Previous reports describe a statistical association, among very-low-birthweight (VLBW, <1500 g) neonates, between red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in the first days after birth and development of severe intraventricular (brain) hemorrhage (IVH). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We hypothesized that after we established a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) transfusion management ...

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary scintigraphy is highly sensitive for diagnosing biliary atresia; however, its specificity has varied in the literature from 35% to 97%. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to re-evaluate the accuracy of phenobarbital-enhanced hepatobiliary scintigraphy in differentiating biliary atresia from other causes of neonatal cholestasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ...

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is associated with subsequent recurrent wheeze. Observational studies cannot determine whether RSV infection is the cause of recurrent wheeze or the first indication of preexistent pulmonary vulnerability in preterm infants. The monoclonal antibody palivizumab has shown efficacy in preventing severe RSV infection in high-risk infants. ...

Preterm birth and formula feeding predispose to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants. As mother's milk is often absent following preterm delivery, infant formula (IF) or human donor milk (HM) are frequently used as alternatives. We have previously shown that porcine and bovine colostrum (BC) provide similar NEC-protection in preterm piglets ...

Germinal matrix hemorrhages (GMHs) are typically seen in preterm neonates during the first 4 days of life. The authors encountered 2 children with late-onset GMH subsequent to ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion for congenital hydrocephalus. Both children were delivered at full term with normal body weight, although they were compromised with ...

Abstract Objective: To study SMA doppler for predicting feed intolerance and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm SGA neonates with umbilical artery absent/reversed end diastolic flow (A/REDF) Study design: Prospective study. Patients: SGA neonates < 36 weeks born with antenatally diagnosed A/REDF formed cases. Those with normal Doppler formed controls. Primary ...

AIM: To evaluate the feasibility of initiation of exclusive enteral feeds on first day of life in very low birthweight infants >1200 g. METHODS: Haemodynamically stable infants with birthweights 1200-1500 g irrespective of gestational age were randomized into two groups. Study group: Enteral feeds 80 mL/kg/day started within 1 h of birth and increased ...

Objective:To evaluate cerebral hemodynamics during dopamine treatment in hypotensive (mean arterial blood pressure (MABP)<gestational age) extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants.Study Design:Continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFv), MABP and PCO2 was performed in hypotensive ELBW infants on the first day of life, beginning with an ∼15-min baseline reading ...

Abstract Objective: To investigate the relation between serum homocysteine levels and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in preterm infants born to preeclamptic mothers. Methods: This study included 84 preterm infants (42 born to preeclamptic mothers and 42 born to normotensive healthy mothers) who were admitted to Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital ...

OBJECTIVE: To measure infants' breast milk intake and infant growth when their mothers initiated either combined oral contraceptive (COC), levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system, or etonogestrel-releasing implant, or copper intrauterine device (IUD) as a reference group. DESIGN: Prospective trial. SETTING: University-based hospital. PATIENT(S): On postpartum day 42, 40 women initiated a contraceptive ...

Diaper dermatitis is one of the most common skin problems in infants and children, affecting between 7% and 35% of infants. This randomized clinical trial compared the efficacy of hydrocortisone 1% ointment with that of human breast milk in treating acute diaper dermatitis in infants ages 0 to 24 months. Infants ...

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the trends in survival for infants with critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) and to examine the potential impact of timing of diagnosis and other prognostic factors on survival.METHODS:We performed a retrospective population-based cohort study in infants born with structural congenital heart defects (CHDs) between 1979 and 2005 and ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannula (HHHFNC) is commonly used as a noninvasive mode of respiratory support in the NICU. The safety and efficacy of HHHFNC have not been compared with other modes of noninvasive support in large randomized trials. The objective was to assess the efficacy and safety ...

BACKGROUND: Neonatal ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In adults on mechanical ventilation, timed oral care decreases the frequency of VAP, but this approach has not been studied in neonates. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility of a randomized trial of timed oral care with Biotene OralBalance® ...

To the Editor: Questions have been raised about the consent process for the Surfactant, Positive Pressure, and Oxygenation Randomized Trial (SUPPORT).(1) The SUPPORT study was designed, in part, to test the hypothesis that a lower target range of oxygen saturation (85 to 89%), as compared with a higher target range ...

AIM: Preterm infants begin the transition from gastric tube feeds to sucking feeds around 34 weeks' postmenstrual age. We compared physiological stability in two bottle feeding positions, cradle hold versus side lying in preterm infants. METHODS: Randomised crossover trial of infants <34 weeks' gestation at birth, ≥34 weeks' postmenstrual age ...

Sterile CSF pleocytosis occurs in febrile infants with UTI. Co-infection with enterovirus is a possible cause. We evaluated 57 infants with UTI and CSF pleocytosis. All had enterovirus testing by PCR. An explanation for pleocytosis was determined for 24 infants (42%). EV infection was detected in four and is an ...

OBJECTIVES:: Feeding intolerance (FI) in preterm infants is common but the etiology remains unclear. This study examined FI as a stress-related disease involving brain-gut interactions and tested the Model of Allostatic Load (AL) and Complications of Prematurity. Specific aims were: describe demographic/ medical variables and biomarker levels at each time ...

BACKGROUND:Early readmissions of apparently healthy newborns after discharge from well baby nurseries (WBN) may reflect an inadequate assessment of the newborn's readiness for discharge.OBJECTIVE:To determine the frequency, causes, costs, and variations in rates of early rehospitalization of newborns discharged from 21 WBNs in 1 health care system.METHODS:We queried the Enterprise ...

BACKGROUND: The feeding interval is an important factor in enteral feeding of premature infants. We investigated postprandial intestinal blood flow in stable very-low-birth-weight infants fed at 2 h and 3 h intervals. METHODS: We used pulsed wave Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow velocity of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ...

Abstract Background: Prolonged exposure to antibiotics (PEA) is associated with increased risk of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), late onset sepsis (LOS), and death in preterm neonates. Aim: To evaluate PEA (≥4 days) for suspected (blood culture negative) sepsis and its association with NEC, LOS, and death in extremely preterm (EP: Gestation ...

STUDY QUESTION: Does vitrification and warming of Day 3 embryos have an impact on neonatal outcome when compared with Day 3 embryos that are slow cooled and thawed, or with embryos from a fresh cycle? SUMMARY ANSWER: The median birthweight was higher in the vitrified group versus the slow cooled ...

BACKGROUND: Very low birthweight (VLBW) newborns on neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are at increased risk for developing central venous catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CVC BSI). In addition to the established intrinsic risk factors of VLBW newborns, it is still not clear which process and structure parameters within NICUs influence the ...

BACKGROUND: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a high-risk setting for transmission of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Very few studies have investigated the impact of pre-emptive contact precautions applied to outborn neonates transferred to an NICU on the incidence of healthcare-associated (HA)-MRSA transmission. AIM: To assess the efficacy of ...

Background/Objectives:Prediction equations are commonly used to estimate body fat from anthropometric measurements, but are population specific. We aimed to establish and validate a body composition prediction formula for Asian newborns, and compared the performance of this formula with that of a published equation.Subjects/Methods:Among 262 neonates (174 from day 0, 88 ...

The results of a case-control study of the potential role of caffeine citrate therapy in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are presented. Patient records for a 10-year period were reviewed to collect sufficient data to test the hypothesis that newborns treated in a hospital's perinatal intensive care unit for ...

This study aimed to review available published reports concerning sudden unexpected postnatal collapse (SUPC) of apparently healthy infants within the first days of postnatal life, establish a structured presentation and delineate recommendations for preventive measures. All published reports of SUPC cases were retrospectively analyzed, and three not previously published SUPC ...

Early exposure to oral erythromycin in young infants, particularly in the first 2 weeks of life, has previously been associated with the development of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. We report a case of an infant who received an abbreviated 4-day course of oral erythromycin for suspected Chlamydia conjunctivitis at 5 days ...

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in neonates causes irreversible damage to tissue and organs and results in multiple organ failure and poor outcome. Therapeutic hypothermia is the most effective therapy in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. We report here a case of subcutaneous fat necrosis (SCFN) after therapeutic hypothermia by selective head cooling. Selective ...

Viral load (VL) of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and human bocavirus (HBoV) in infants <12 months admitted for bronchiolitis was analyzed. VL correlated with length of hospital stay in both viruses, HMPV-VL with the duration oxygen therapy and HBoV-VL inversely with days of respiratory effort prior to admission. Infants coinfected by ...

During embryonic development most of the skeleton begins as a cartilaginous scaffold that is progressively resorbed and replaced by bone. Such endochondral bone development does not cease until the growth plates fuse during puberty. Growth and mineralization of the skeleton are dependent upon the adequate delivery of mineral. During fetal ...

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the effect of body position on gastric residuals at different time points in feeding preterm infants. Further, the results of previous studies are inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: To describe the changing pattern of gastric residuals over time in the prone and supine position and to examine the ...

We aimed to investigate the potential hazardous effects of prenatal and/or postnatal exposure to 1800 MHz GSM-like radiofrequency radiation (RFR) on the blood chemistry and lipid peroxidation levels of infant rabbits. A total of 72 New Zealand female and male white rabbits aged 1-month were used. Thirty-six female and 36 male ...

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a major contributor to infant mortality. The cause of death is unknown: suggested possibilities include cardiovascular disease, anaphylactic shock, and suffocation. The occurrence of simultaneous sudden infant death syndrome is uncommon, such cases being extremely rare in forensic pathologic practice. We report two 10-week-old ...

Objective:To determine if the choice of enteral feeds after gastroschisis repair relates to the time to achieve full feeds and time to discharge.Study Design:A retrospective study of infants with gastroschisis from 2000 to 2010 examined demographics, days at closure, days at initiation of feeds, days to full feeds, time to ...

Background:The effect of delayed antifungal therapy has not been studied in critically-ill infants with invasive candidiasis. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of time to initiation of antifungal therapy (TIA) on mortality, disseminated disease and post-infection hospital stay.Methods:We conducted a cohort study of critically-ill infants with positive cultures for ...

Background:To assess and quantify the effects of indomethacin on cerebral blood flow (CBF), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) in preterm infants undergoing treatment for a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).Methods:CBF and CMRO2 were measured before and after the first dose of a three-day course of ...

Background:The immune modulator TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been found at extremely high levels in human milk of women with normal gestation at day 5 after delivery.Objective:To investigate the presence and the levels of soluble TRAIL in human milk of women with preterm delivery at different time points post-partum (32, ...

A fledged, 12-15 day-old saltmarsh sparrow, Ammodramus caudacutus, was collected from an accidental kill on Cinder Island, Long Island, NY, USA. The sparrow was assessed for feather mercury levels and the brain analyzed for cerebellar abnormalities by microscopic examination. In humans, fetal Minamata disease is caused by maternal ingestion of mercury. ...

OBJECTIVES:To determine (1) between-hospital variation in diuretic use for infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), including hospital-specific treatment frequency, treatment duration, and percentage of infants receiving short (≤5 consecutive days) versus longer (>5 days) courses, and to determine (2) demographic and clinical variables associated with diuretic administration.METHODS:A retrospective cohort study was ...

Although many echocardiographic parameters can assess cardiac function noninvasively in preterm infants, it has not been determined what indices are the best. We assessed left-ventricular performance in 101 very low-birth weight (VLBW) infants using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) echocardiography. Echocardiographic examinations, including TDI, were performed serially within 7 days of life. ...

In contrast to several species of cetaceans and primates, behavioural responses to dead conspecifics have rarely been reported in wild canids. Here we provide details of the responses of an adult female and littermates to a dying and subsequently dead pup, including what appeared to be four instances of transport ...

Background: Improving parenteral nutrition (PN) amino acid (AA) intake in very preterm infants is associated with less hyperglycemia. AAs stimulate newborn insulin secretion with arginine, demonstrating a specific effect. We hypothesized that low arginine levels would be associated with increased insulin-treated hyperglycemia and higher mean daily blood glucose levels in ...

BACKGROUND: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) that is critically important for the structure, development and function of the retina and central nervous system (CNS), ultimately contributing to improved cognition. It is known that the DHA content of breast milk is positively correlated with maternal ...

AIM: Tissue factor (TF), a mediator between coagulation and inflammation, is upregulated in alveolar compartment and circulation in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. We investigated the contribution of TF to systemic regulation of coagulation in VLBW infants. METHODS: We measured TF, total and free tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPIt, ...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the postnatal outcome and complications that arise in infants with the prenatal diagnosis of gastroschisis. Methods Prenatal sonograms with the diagnosis of gastroschisis were identified. Maternal age, indication for sonography, gestational age at diagnosis, other sonographic abnormalities, and postnatal outcome were ...

OBJECTIVE: Periventricular white matter injury (PWMI), a precursor of cerebral palsy, is traditionally not diagnosed until 6 weeks of life by head ultrasound. We sought to determine if early neonatal glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels could identify PWMI in low birth weight (< 2500 grams) infants. STUDY DESIGN: Each ...

Objective To compare the effects of prophylactic indomethacin versus expectant management on short-term respiratory outcomes in extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants.Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of ELBW infants with gestational age less than 28 weeks, born at a level III neonatal intensive care unit from 2004 to 2009. Patients ...

This report describes two infants with recurrent pulmonary edema after umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT). A 3-month-old boy and a 7-month-old boy with infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia underwent CBT from an unrelated donor in the first complete remission. The conditioning regimen consisted of busulfan, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide. Tacrolimus and short-term ...