Disseminated neonatal candidiasis in the neonatal intensive care unit

The study included 50 critically-ill newborns with clinical features of neonatal sepsis, selected when having a minimum of 2 of the risk factors known to enhance the development of systemic candidiasis namely, prematurity or low birth weight [90%], prolonged antibiotic therapy [80%], prolonged insertion of intravascular cannulae [70%], gastrointestinal surgery or diseases [38%], use of aminophylline [32%] or steroids [16%] and/or prolonged endotracheal intubation [16%].Candida albicans could be isolated in only one of 35 urine specimens obtained by suprapubic bladder aspiration. All blood samples [obtained from 50 newborns] and CSF samples [from 13 newborns] were negative for C.-albicans inspite of prolonged culture on appropriate media. Disseminated neonatal candidiasis seems to affect a minority [2%] of high risk critically ill neonates. In highly suspicious cases different specimens [Blood, Urine and CSF] should be cultured since the organism may be grown in only one of these specimens

Appraisal of neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Sixty critically-ill newborns who developed cardiopulmonary arrest [CPA] were included in a study of resuscitative measures and its outcome. Three groups of patients were identified Long-term survivors [LTS] who survived to discharge [25%], short-term survivors [STS] who survived longer than 24 hours after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] [18.3%], and nonsurvivors [NS] [56.7%] who died immediately or within 24 hours of CPA.Statistical analysis revealed that CPR is more likely to succeed in cases of respiratory arrest without bradycardia, arrest inside the intensive care unit [ICU], longer hospitalization time prior to arrest [> 24 hours], shorter duration of resuscitation [< 15 minutes], the need to no more than one dose of epinephrine during CPR, and an initial blood pH of more than 7.00. Age, sex and initial capillary PCO2 did not influence the result of CPR nor patients survival