Pediatrics
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A randomized trial comparing long-term and short-term use of umbilical venous catheters in premature infants with birth weights of less than 1251 grams.
Umbilical vein and percutaneous central venous catheters are often used in preterm infants, but they can lead to complications, including infection. ⋯ Infection and complication rates were similar between infants managed with an umbilical vein catheter in place for up to 28 days compared with infants managed with an umbilical vein catheter replaced by a percutaneous central venous catheter after 7 to 10 days. Umbilical vein catheter durations beyond the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended limit of 14 days may be reasonable.
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With the increased survival of very preterm infants, there is a growing concern for their developmental and socioemotional outcomes. The quality of the early mother-infant relationship has been noted as 1 of the factors that may exacerbate or soften the potentially adverse impact of preterm birth, particularly concerning the infant's later competencies and development. The first purpose of the study was to identify at 6 months of corrected age whether there were specific dyadic mother-infant patterns of interaction in preterm as compared with term mother-infant dyads. The second purpose was to examine the potential impact of these dyadic patterns on the infant's behavioral and developmental outcomes at 18 months of corrected age. ⋯ Among mother-preterm infant dyads, we identified 2 specific patterns of interaction that could play either a protective (cooperative pattern) or a risk-precipitating (controlling pattern) role on developmental and behavioral outcome, independent of perinatal risk factors and of the family's socioeconomic background. The controlling pattern is much more prevalent among preterm than term dyads and is related to a less favorable infant outcome. However, the cooperative pattern still represents almost 30% of the preterm dyads, with infants' outcome comparable to the ones of term infants. These results point out the impact of the quality of mother-infant relationship on the infant's outcome. The most important clinical implication should be to support a healthy parent-infant relationship already in the NICU but also in the first months of the infant's life. Early individualized family-based interventions during neonatal hospitalization and transition to home have been shown to reduce maternal stress and depression and increase maternal self-esteem and to improve positive early parent-preterm infant interactions.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized, controlled trial of the effectiveness of an early-intervention program in reducing parenting stress after preterm birth.
Preterm birth has been associated with increased parenting stress in early infancy, and some reports have found this to be a risk factor for later behavioral problems. There are, however, few studies and conflicting results. Information about the fathers is scarce. ⋯ This early-intervention program reduces parenting stress among both mothers and fathers of preterm infants to a level comparable to their term peers. We are now studying whether this will result in long-term beneficial effects.
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Influenza and other winter respiratory viruses cause substantial morbidity among children. Previous estimates of the burden of illness of these viruses have neglected to include the emergency department, where a large number of patients seek acute care for respiratory illnesses. This study provides city- and statewide population estimates of the burden of illness attributable to respiratory viruses for children receiving emergency department-based care for respiratory infections during the winter months. ⋯ There is a high incidence of emergency department visits for infectious respiratory illnesses among children. This important component of health care use should be included in estimates of the burden of illness attributable to influenza and other winter respiratory viruses.
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Graduated driver licensing programs and fatal crashes of 16-year-old drivers: a national evaluation.
Implementation of graduated driver licensing programs is associated with reductions in crash rates of young drivers, but graduated driver licensing programs vary in their components. The impact of programs with different components is unknown. ⋯ Comprehensive graduated driver licensing programs are associated with reductions of approximately 20% in 16-year-old drivers' fatal crash involvement rates. The greatest benefit seems to be associated with programs that include age requirements and > or = 3 months of waiting before the intermediate stage, nighttime driving restriction, and either > or = 30 hours of supervised driving or passenger restriction.