Acta paediatrica
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A substantial proportion of the decisions to withhold or withdraw life-prolonging treatment are based on the newborn's predicted poor quality of life. All previous studies on end-of-life decisions were done in countries with adequate support for disabled neonatal intensive care units (NICU) survivors. Data on quality-of-life considerations in countries with developing health care are not available yet. ⋯ Our study suggests that physician end-of-life decision making in this unit in a less developed health care setting is found to be similar to that in developed health care settings and is independent of availability of supportive care after discharge for infants with disabilities.
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To survey current practice regarding neonatal respiratory support strategies to determine whether it reflected evidence from randomised trials. ⋯ Many practitioners do not base their choice of neonatal respiratory support strategies on the results of large randomised trials; more effective methods are required to ensure evidence-based practice.
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To describe the presenting characteristics, type of injury and hospital course in young children with traumatic head injury, and to identify characteristics indicating that the trauma was inflicted. ⋯ Inflicted and accidental head injuries differed in presenting characteristics and injury type. Nearly two-third of the subdural haemorrhages were classified as inflicted, but none of the epidural EDHs or skull fractures. Inflicted injuries tended to present with seizures.