Effect of Prenatal and Postnatal Prophylaxis with Macrolide for Ureaplasma on the Development of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Infants

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the effects of two different macrolide prophylaxis protocols (prenatal and postnatal) for Ureaplasma on the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 121 preterm infants whose birth weights were <1,250 g or gestational ages were <30 postmenstrual weeks. The demographic and clinical characteristics, including the presence of BPD, were compared between a prophylactic group, who received macrolide as prophylaxis prenatally and postnatally according to risk level, and a confirmed treatment group, who received macrolide prenatally and postnatally after detection of Ureaplasma infection. RESULTS: Seventy-four (61.2%) of 121 preterm infants were included in the prenatal prophylaxis group. No significant differences in demographic characteristics were observed between the prenatal prophylaxis and prenatal confirmed treatment group. The detection rate of Ureaplasma and the frequency of postnatal therapeutic treatment with macrolide were lower in the prenatal prophylaxis group than in the prenatal confirmed treatment group (16.2% vs. 40.4%, P=0.003; 8.1% vs. 48.9%, P< 0.001, respectively). Although no significant differences in the incidence of moderate to severe BPD, the rate of severe BPD was lower in the prenatal prophylaxis group than in prenatal confirmed treatment group (18.9% vs. 40.4%, P=0.010). No significant differences in the incidences of BPD of any level of severity were observed between the postnatal prophylaxis and confirmed treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Administration of prenatal prophylaxis with macrolide decreased the detection rate of Ureaplasma after birth and was associated with the decrease in the incidence of severe BPD in preterm infants.

Three Cases of Preterm Infants Showing Pneumatosis Intestinalis without Progression to Typical Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major gastrointestinal disorder in premature infants associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. When NEC is clinically suspected, radiological and laboratory studies should be performed to confirm the diagnosis and to aid in the management of patients. As the clinical manifestations of NEC are usually nonspecific, diagnoses are often made using abdominal radiographic findings, such as pneumatosis intestinalis. Clinicians typically consider the presence of pneumatosis intestinalis on radiographs as the definite evidence of stage II NEC. Here, we report 3 cases of preterm infants who had radiographic findings of pneumatosis intestinalis but did not have any other associated laboratory and clinical evidence of NEC, except bloody stools. The infants' systemic manifestations were mild or absent, and all of them completely recovered within 2-3 days, as demonstrated by the resolution of pneumatosis intestinalis on abdominal radiographs. The combination of hematochezia and intestinal pneumatosis in preterm infants strongly suggests the diagnosis of NEC. In our cases, there was no laboratory evidence of inflammation or platelet consumption, and the clinical course was benign without any sings of surgical abdomen. Additionally, our patients had barium-induced colitis or milk protein allergy, which are other possible causes of pneumatosis intestinalis. Because pneumatosis intestinalis can result from causes other than NEC, it is important to consider clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings to confirm the diagnosis of NEC.

Outpatient Follow-up Status and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

PURPOSE: To report the follow-up status and neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors at 18 months' corrected age (CA). METHOD: We performed a retrospective study of 130 ELBW infants admitted to neonatal intensive care unit of Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January 2005 and May 2009. The follow-up status and neurodevelopmental outcomes were evaluated until the CA of 18 months. The assessment of outcomes included cerebral palsy, cognitive developmental delay, blindness, deafness and catch-up growth. Clinical data were collected to identify the factors influencing neurodevelopmental disability. RESULTS: Of the 130 survivors at discharge, 122 (93.8%) participated in the follow-up at 18 months' CA. Study characteristics included a mean birth weight of 783 g and a mean gestation of 27 weeks. One hundred and eleven infants (85.4%) were evaluated for cerebral palsy (CP) and 11 (9.9%) were identified with CP. Eighty five infants (74.6%) were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III (BSID-III) at 8 months' CA and 2 (2.4%) had a cognitive scale <70. Fifty four infants (41.9%) were assessed with BSID-III at 18 months' CA and 2 (3.7%) had a cognitive scale <70. There were 2 (1.2%) cases of blindness and the case of deafness was not present in this study. The failure of catch-up growth was seen in 40 (32.8%) infants. Severe intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, hydrocephalus and shunt insertion were the most important risk factors for neurologic abnormality. CONCLUSION: In our institution, neurodevelopmental outcomes of ELBW survivors were comparable to recent reports from the USA. ELBW infants need to be monitored on multidisciplinary follow-up programs and more efforts should be made to improve the follow-up.