Pediatrics
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Relationship of prolonged pharmacologic serum levels of vitamin E to incidence of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis in infants with birth weight 1,500 grams or less.
The incidence of culture-proven neonatal sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants maintained at pharmacologic (mean 5.1 mg/dL +/- 1.45 SD) serum vitamin E levels for long periods was prospectively studied as part of a double-masked clinical trial of the effect of prophylactic vitamin E v placebo treatment on the development and course of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Within a few days of birth, 914 preterm infants were enrolled in the study; 545 (275 placebo-treated infants, 270 vitamin E-treated infants had birth weight of 1,500 g or less. A significant difference in incidence of neonatal sepsis (17 placebo-treated infants, 37 vitamin E-treated infants) and NEC (18 placebo-treated infants, 32 vitamin E-treated infants) was observed among infants who had been treated for eight or more days and who had developed neither sepsis nor NEC before that time. ⋯ The data suggest that, if this occurs, it is clinically significant only in the more immature infants. In view of the known variability of absorption of oral vitamin E and the association between high serum vitamin E levels and increased incidence of sepsis and late-onset NEC reported here, it can be concluded that serum vitamin E levels must be monitored when supplemental vitamin E is administered to premature infants, especially those with birth weight 1,500 g or less. The risk-benefit ratio of long-term treatment using vitamin E at high serum levels should be clearly assessed.
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A major problem in the care of premature and other newborn infants is obtaining and maintaining correct position of an endotracheal tube. Improper placement of the distal tip of the endotracheal tube above the larynx or below the carina is a life-threatening hazard that not only impairs ventilation, but also may result in serious pulmonary complications such as lobar atelectasis and air leak. This problem was addressed by testing the hypothesis that a light source at the end of the endotracheal tube could be seen on the neck and chest and that, therefore, the endotracheal tube could be positioned and repositioned without radiologic guidance. ⋯ The illuminated endotracheal tube was used 33 times in 25 infants. This technique has been shown to provide a safe method (not requiring ionizing radiation) for positioning of the endotracheal tube by virtue of external visualization of a circle of light on the surface of the baby. This system will not permit differentiation of tracheal from esophageal intubation.