Pediatrics
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Oral probiotics prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight preterm infants: a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial.
The goal was to investigate the efficacy of orally administered probiotics in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis for very low birth weight preterm infants. ⋯ Probiotics, in the form of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, fed enterally to very low birth weight preterm infants for 6 weeks reduced the incidence of death or necrotizing enterocolitis.
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Common clinical practices often are unsupported by experimental evidence. One example is the administration of sodium bicarbonate to neonates. ⋯ Indeed, there is evidence that this therapy is detrimental. This review examines the history of sodium bicarbonate use in neonatology and the evidence that refutes the clinical practice of administering sodium bicarbonate during cardiopulmonary resuscitation or to treat metabolic acidosis in the NICU.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Randomized, controlled trial on tracheal colonization of ventilated infants: can gravity prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia?
The goal was to test the hypothesis that intubated infants positioned on their sides would be less likely to contract bacterial colonization in their tracheae, compared with those positioned supine. ⋯ Respiratory contamination is very common among ventilated infants. Therefore, judicious use of mechanical ventilation cannot be overemphasized. Gravitational force can ameliorate the onset of respiratory colonization. The mechanism and clinical applicability of such observations need to be explored further.
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Comparative Study
Procalcitonin in young febrile infants for the detection of serious bacterial infections.
The objectives of the study were (1) to study the test performance of procalcitonin for identifying serious bacterial infections in febrile infants
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Comparative Study
Pulse oximetry screening at 4 hours of age to detect critical congenital heart defects.
The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the feasibility and reliability of pulse oximetry screening to detect critical congenital heart defects in a newborn nursery. ⋯ All neonates with a critical congenital heart defect were detected clinically, and no cases of critical congenital heart defect were detected by pulse oximetry screening. These results indicate that pulse oximetry screening does not improve detection of critical congenital heart defects above and beyond clinical observation and assessment. Our findings do not support a recommendation for routine pulse oximetry screening in seemingly healthy neonates.