Neonatology
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Non-invasive cardiac output monitoring in preterm infants undergoing patent ductus arteriosus ligation: a comparison with echocardiography.
Non-invasive cardiac output monitoring (NICOM; NICOM™) may be useful in the management of extremely premature preterm infants. ⋯ Continuous LVO measurement using NICOM was feasible and demonstrated a consistent systematic bias compared with echocardiography in unstable extremely preterm infants without a PDA ligation. NICOM may be used as a trending tool for continuous monitoring in this population, but wide limits of agreement and increasing bias over time suggest it is not interchangeable with echocardiography. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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Chronic respiratory morbidity is a common adverse outcome of preterm birth, especially in infants who develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which is still a major cause of long-term lung dysfunction with a heavy burden on health care services and medical resources throughout childhood. The most severely affected patients remain symptomatic even in adulthood, and this may be influenced also by environmental variables (e.g. smoking), which can contribute to persistent obstruction of airflow. ⋯ Since the prevention of BPD is an elusive goal, minimizing neonatal lung injury and closely monitoring survivors remain the best courses of action. This review describes the clinical and functional changes characteristic of the long-term pulmonary sequelae of preterm birth, focusing particularly on BPD.
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Review Meta Analysis
Optimal oxygenation of extremely low birth weight infants: a meta-analysis and systematic review of the oxygen saturation target studies.
The optimal oxygen saturation for extremely low birth weight infants in the postnatal period beyond the delivery room is not known. ⋯ RRs for mortality and necrotizing enterocolitis are significantly increased and severe retinopathy of prematurity significantly reduced in low compared to high oxygen saturation target infants. There are no differences regarding physiologic bronchopulmonary dysplasia, brain injury or patent ductus arteriosus between the groups. Based on these results, it is suggested that functional SpO2 should be targeted at 90-95% in infants with gestational age <28 weeks until 36 weeks' postmenstrual age. However, there are still several unanswered questions in this field.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Early postnatal additional high-dose oral vitamin A supplementation versus placebo for 28 days for preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death in extremely low birth weight infants.
Prematurity and the associated risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remain a significant threat to extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. Vitamin A has been considered a therapeutic alternative in reducing the rate of BPD and mortality. ⋯ The results of the NeoVitaA trial will provide robust data with regard to the efficacy of high-dose oral vitamin A supplementation in reducing the incidence of BPD or death at 36 weeks' PMA in ELBW infants.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Platelets for neonatal transfusion - study 2: a randomised controlled trial to compare two different platelet count thresholds for prophylactic platelet transfusion to preterm neonates.
Neonatal thrombocytopenia is a common and important clinical problem in preterm neonates. A trial assessing clinically relevant outcomes in relation to the different platelet count thresholds used to trigger transfusion has never been undertaken in preterm neonates with severe thrombocytopenia. ⋯ This trial will help define optimal platelet transfusion support for severely thrombocytopenic preterm neonates by evaluating the risks and benefits of two different prophylactic neonatal platelet transfusion thresholds.