A Case of a Preterm Infant with Prenatally Diagnosed Intrauterine Midgut Volvulus / 대한주산의학회잡지

Intrauterine midgut volvulus is a rare and potentially life-threatening congenital disease that can lead to intestinal ischemia, sepsis and peritonitis caused by bowel perforation and meconium obstruction. Early detection and immediate treatment is crucial to improve the outcome. Herein, we report a preterm infant of 30 weeks of gestation with intrauterine midgut volvulus associated with meconium peritonitis who survived after cesarean delivery and immediate postnatal surgical intervention. The outcome of in-utero intestinal volvulus depends on optimal delivery timing and adequate postnatal treatment. Therefore, prompt multidisciplinary consultation and planning with obstetricians, neonatologists and pediatric surgeons is necessary to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with fetal midgut volvulus, especially in the preterm period.

The Usefulness of Birth Weight Z-Score as a Predictor of Catch Up Growth in Preterm Infants

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to examine whether the degree of fetal smallness in small for gestational age (SGA) infants would increase the risk of catch-up-growth failure at 12 and 24 months corrected age (CA), and whether the high-calorie nutritional support would improve catch-up growth between 12 and 24 months CA. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 103 preterm infants born between January 2010 and December 2011. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate whether the birth weight z-score would be an independent risk factor for catch-up growth failure at 12 or 24 months CA. Among the 46 infants with failed catch-up growth at 12 months CA, 16 infants were provided high-calorie nutritional support, including nutritional supplements and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil at the pediatric gastroenterology clinic. RESULTS: Of 103 preterm infants, 34 infants (33%) were SGA and 69 infants (67%) were appropriate for gestational age (AGA). One birth weight z-score decrement increased the odds for catch-up growth failure 2.9 times at 12 months CA and 3.0 times at 24 months CA after adjustment for major neonatal morbidities. The increase in z-score between 12 and 24 months CA was significantly greater in the infants provided nutritional support than in the infants who were not provided nutritional support. CONCLUSION: The birth weight z-score can be used as a predictor of catch-up growth failure. High-calorie nutritional support may improve weight gain during the second year in preterm infants with failed catch-up growth at 12 months CA.

A Case of Lactobacillus Bacteremia during Probiotic Supplementation in a Very Preterm Infant with Short Bowel Syndrome

Probiotics are living micro-organisms that beneficially affect the composition of the host intestinal microflora. In very preterm infants, probiotics reportedly help reduce necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), invasive fugal colonization and sepsis, and enable the establishment of complete enteral feeding at an earlier stage. However, emerging evidence has indicated the risk of potential side effects of probiotic use, such as gut organism translocation, including probiotic organisms, in infants that are more premature. In the present report, we describe a case of Lactobacillus bacteremia in a very preterm infant with short bowel syndrome. Lactobacillus sepsis developed during the therapeutic use of this organism for diarrhea and diarrhea-related malabsorption. The organism isolated from the blood sample was found to be of the same strain as that administered, by using molecular techniques. The findings of the present case suggest that probiotics should be carefully used, particularly in very preterm infants with altered intestinal permeability such as short bowel syndrome.

Characteristics of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Very Low Birth Weight Infants according to the Timing of Dexamethasone Administration / 대한주산의학회잡지

PURPOSE: Corticosteroids has been used for treatment and prophylaxis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. However, administration of corticosteroids could be delayed due to its potential harmful effects on neurodevelopment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adequate dexamethasone administration timing in very low birth weight infants. METHODS: Medical records of 56 VLBW infants who were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit of Seoul National University Children's Hospital and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between January 2008 and September 2014 were collected retrospectively. Study population were divided into early administration group (dexamethasone administration before 4 weeks of postnatal days) and late administration group (after 4 weeks) and respiratory morbidities were compared between groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between early administration group (n=30) and late administration group (n=26). Respiratory severity score and oxygen needs at 7 days after birth and before administering dexamethasone were comparable. Extubation was done earlier postnatal days in early administration group. Incidence of severe BPD was higher in the late administration group. There was no significant difference in diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) at 12 months of corrected age. When adjusting for multiple risk factors, administration of dexamethasone 4 weeks after birth and severe of BPD showed a significant association (adjusted OR 17.14 [1.29-227.52], P=0.031). CONCLUSION: Administration of dexamethasone in order to minimize ventilator care and to reduce severe BPD might be done between 1 week and 4 weeks after birth in very low birth weight infants.