Outcomes and care practices of extremely preterm infants at 22-25 weeks' gestation age from the Chinese Neonatal Network / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To describe the current status and trends in the outcomes and care practices of extremely preterm infants at 22-25 weeks' gestation age from the Chinese Neonatal Network (CHNN) from 2019 to 2021. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the CHNN cohort of very preterm infants. All 963 extremely preterm infants with gestational age between 22-25 weeks who were admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) of the CHNN from 2019 to 2021 were included. Infants admitted after 24 hours of life or transferred to non-CHNN hospitals were excluded. Perinatal care practices, survival rates, incidences of major morbidities, and NICU treatments were described according to different gestational age groups and admission years. Comparison among gestational age groups was conducted using χ2 and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Trends by year were evaluated by Cochran-Armitage and Jonckheere-Terpstra tests for trend. Results: Of the 963 extremely preterm infants enrolled, 588 extremely preterm infants (61.1%) were male. The gestational age was 25.0 (24.4, 25.6) weeks, with 29 extremely preterm infants (3.0%), 88 extremely preterm infants (9.1%), 264 extremely preterm infants (27.4%), and 582 extremely preterm infants (60.4%) at 22, 23, 24, and 25 weeks of gestation age, respectively. The birth weight was 770 (680, 840) g. From 2019 to 2021, the number of extremely preterm infants increased each year (285, 312, and 366 extremely preterm infants, respectively). Antenatal steroids and magnesium sulfate were administered to 67.7% (615/908) and 51.1% (453/886) mothers of extremely preterm infants. In the delivery room, 20.8% (200/963) and 69.5% (669/963) extremely preterm infants received noninvasive positive end-expiratory pressure support and endotracheal intubation. Delayed cord clamping and cord milking were performed in 19.0% (149/784) and 30.4% (241/794) extremely preterm infants. From 2019 to 2021, there were significant increases in the usage of antenatal steroids, antenatal magnesium sulfate, and delivery room noninvasive positive-end expiratory pressure support (all P<0.05). Overall, 349 extremely preterm infants (36.2%) did not receive complete care, 392 extremely preterm infants (40.7%) received complete care and survived to discharge, and 222 extremely preterm infants (23.1%) received complete care but died in hospital. The survival rates for extremely preterm infants at 22, 23, 24 and 25 weeks of gestation age were 10.3% (3/29), 23.9% (21/88), 33.0% (87/264) and 48.3% (281/582), respectively. From 2019 to 2021, there were no statistically significant trends in complete care, survival, and mortality rates (all P>0.05). Only 11.5% (45/392) extremely preterm infants survived without major morbidities. Moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (67.3% (264/392)) and severe retinopathy of prematurity (61.5% (241/392)) were the most common morbidities among survivors. The incidences of severe intraventricular hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sepsis were 15.3% (60/392), 5.9% (23/392) and 19.1% (75/392), respectively. Overall, 83.7% (328/392) survivors received invasive ventilation during hospitalization, with a duration of 22 (10, 42) days. The hospital stay for survivors was 97 (86, 116) days. Conclusions: With the increasing number of extremely preterm infants at 22-25 weeks' gestation admitted to CHNN NICU, the survival rate remained low, especially the rate of survival without major morbidities. Further quality improvement initiatives are needed to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based care practices.

Impact of the environmental layout of the neonatal intensive care unit on clinical outcomes and neurological development in very/extremely preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the impact of the environmental layout of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on clinical outcomes and neurological development in very/extremely preterm infants.@*METHODS@#A total of 304 very/extremely preterm infants admitted to Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2021 and June 2022 within 24 hours after birth were included in this retrospective cohort study. Based on different environmental layouts in the NICU, the infants were divided into two groups: centralized layout group (n=157) and decentralized layout group (n=147). The clinical outcomes and Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) scores at corrected gestational age between 34 to 51+6 weeks were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#The decentralized layout group had lower incidence rates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (44.9% vs 62.4%, P<0.05) and intracranial hemorrhage (17.7% vs 28.0%, P<0.05) than the centralized layout group. The cure rate was higher in the decentralized layout group compared to the centralized layout group (68.7% vs 56.7%, P<0.05). The decentralized layout group had higher TIMP scores than the centralized layout group at corrected gestational age between 34 to 51+6 weeks (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The decentralized layout of the NICU exhibits positive effects on the clinical outcomes and early neurological development compared to the centralized layout in very/extremely preterm infants.

Alterations in the intestinal microbiota of preterm infants with neurodevelopmental impairments: a prospective cohort study / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the difference in intestinal microbiota between preterm infants with neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) and those without NDI.@*METHODS@#In this prospective cohort study, the preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from September 1, 2019 to September 30, 2021 were enrolled as subjects. According to the assessment results of Gesell Developmental Scale at the corrected gestational age of 1.5-2 years, they were divided into two groups: normal (n=115) and NDI (n=100). Fecal samples were collected one day before discharge, one day before introducing solid food, and at the corrected gestational age of 1 year. High-throughput sequencing was used to compare the composition of intestinal microbiota between groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the normal group, the NDI group had a significantly higher Shannon diversity index at the corrected gestational age of 1 year (P<0.05). The principal coordinate analysis showed a significant difference in the composition of intestinal microbiota between the two groups one day before introducing solid food and at the corrected gestational age of 1 year (P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the NDI group had a significantly higher abundance of Bifidobacterium in the intestine at all three time points, a significantly higher abundance of Enterococcus one day before introducing solid food and at the corrected gestational age of 1 year, and a significantly lower abundance of Akkermansia one day before introducing solid food (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#There are significant differences in the composition of intestinal microbiota between preterm infants with NDI and those without NDI. This study enriches the data on the characteristics of intestinal microbiota in preterm infants with NDI and provides reference for the microbiota therapy and intervention for NDI in preterm infants.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors for early-onset necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants with very/extremely low birth weight / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors for early-onset necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants with very/extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW).@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 194 VLBW/ELBW preterm infants with NEC who were admitted to Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to December 2021. These infants were divided into early-onset group (onset in the first two weeks of life; n=62) and late-onset group (onset two weeks after birth; n=132) based on their onset time. The two groups were compared in terms of perinatal conditions, clinical characteristics, laboratory examination results, and clinical outcomes. Sixty-two non-NEC infants with similar gestational age and birth weight who were hospitalized at the same period as these NEC preterm infants were selected as the control group. The risk factors for the development of early-onset NEC were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the late-onset group, the early-onset group had significantly higher proportions of infants with 1-minute Apgar score ≤3, stage III NEC, surgical intervention, grade ≥3 intraventricular hemorrhage, apnea, and fever or hypothermia (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that feeding intolerance, blood culture-positive early-onset sepsis, severe anemia, and hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus were independent risk factors for the development of early-onset NEC in VLBW/ELBW preterm infants (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#VLBW/ELBW preterm infants with early-onset NEC have more severe conditions compared with those with late-onset NEC. Neonates with feeding intolerance, blood culture-positive early-onset sepsis, severe anemia, or hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus have a higher risk of early-onset NEC.

Treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in very preterm infants in China / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To describe the current status and trends in the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) among very preterm infants (VPI) admitted to the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) of the Chinese Neonatal Network (CHNN) from 2019 to 2021, and to compare the differences in PDA treatment among these units. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on the CHNN VPI cohort, all of 22 525 VPI (gestational age<32 weeks) admitted to 79 tertiary NICU within 3 days of age from 2019 to 2021 were included. The overall PDA treatment rates were calculated, as well as the rates of infants with different gestational ages (≤26, 27-28, 29-31 weeks), and pharmacological and surgical treatments were described. PDA was defined as those diagnosed by echocardiography during hospitalization. The PDA treatment rate was defined as the number of VPI who had received medication treatment and (or) surgical ligation of PDA divided by the number of all VPI. Logistic regression was used to investigate the changes in PDA treatment rates over the 3 years and the differences between gestational age groups. A multivariate Logistic regression model was constructed to compute the standardized ratio (SR) of PDA treatment across different units, to compare the rates after adjusting for population characteristics. Results: A total of 22 525 VPI were included in the study, with a gestational age of 30.0 (28.6, 31.0) weeks and birth weight of 1 310 (1 100, 1 540) g; 56.0% (12 615) of them were male. PDA was diagnosed by echocardiography in 49.7% (11 186/22 525) of all VPI, and the overall PDA treatment rate was 16.8% (3 795/22 525). Of 3 762 VPI who received medication treatment, the main first-line medication used was ibuprofen (93.4% (3 515/3 762)) and the postnatal day of first medication treatment was 6 (4, 10) days of age; 59.3% (2 231/3 762) of the VPI had been weaned from invasive respiratory support during the first medication treatment, and 82.2% (3 092/3 762) of the infants received only one course of medication treatment. A total of 143 VPI underwent surgery, which was conducted on 32 (22, 46) days of age. Over the 3 years from 2019 to 2021, there was no significant change in the PDA treatment rate in these VPI (P=0.650). The PDA treatment rate decreased with increasing gestational age (P<0.001). The PDA treatment rates for VPI with gestational age ≤26, 27-28, and 29-31 weeks were 39.6% (688/1 737), 25.9% (1 319/5 098), and 11.4% (1 788/15 690), respectively. There were 61 units having a total number of VPI≥100 cases, and their rates of PDA treatment were 0 (0/116)-47.4% (376/793). After adjusting for population characteristics, the range of standardized ratios for PDA treatment in the 61 units was 0 (95%CI 0-0.3) to 3.4 (95%CI 3.1-3.8). Conclusions: From 2019 to 2021, compared to the peers in developed countries, VPI in CHNN NICU had a different PDA treatment rate; specifically, the VPI with small birth gestational age had a lower treatment rate, while the VPI with large birth gestational age had a higher rate. There are significant differences in PDA treatment rates among different units.

Investigation of extrauterine growth restriction in very preterm infants in Chinese neonatal intensive care units / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To comprehensively assess the current status of extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in very preterm infants (VPI) and its associated factors in Chinese neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Methods: In this cohort study, 6 179 preterm infants born at <32 weeks' gestation were included, who were admitted to 57 hospitals in the China Neonatal Network in 2019 and hospitalized for ≥7 days. EUGR was evaluated by a cross-sectional definition (weight at discharge<10th percentile for postmenstrual age), a longitudinal definition (decline in weight Z score>1 from birth to discharge), and weight growth velocity. The comparison between infants with and without EUGR was conducted by t-test, Mann-Whitney U test or χ2 test as appropriate. Multivariable Logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between EUGR with different definitions and maternal and neonatal factors, clinical practices, and neonatal morbidities. Results: A total of 6 179 VPI were enrolled in the study, with a gestational age of (29.8±1.5) weeks and birth weight of (1 365±304) g; 56.2% (3 474) of them were male. Among them, 48.4% (2 992 VPI) were cross-sectional EUGR and 74.9% (4 628 VPI) were longitudinal EUGR. Z score of weight was (0.13±0.78) at birth and decrease to (-1.35±0.99) at discharge. The weight growth velocity was 10.13 (8.42, 11.66) g/(kg·d). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that among the influential factors that could be intervened after birth, late attainment of full enteral feeds (ORadjust=1.01, 95%CI 1.01-1.02, P<0.001; ORadjust=1.01, 95%CI 1.01-1.02, P<0.001), necrotizing enterocolitis≥Ⅱstage (ORadjust=2.64, 95%CI 1.60-4.35, P<0.001; ORadjust=1.62, 95%CI 1.10-2.40, P<0.001) and patent ductus arteriosus (ORadjust=1.94, 95%CI 1.50-2.51, P<0.001; ORadjust=1.63, 95%CI 1.29-2.06, P<0.001) were all associated with increased risks of both cross-sectional and longitudinal EUGR. In addition, late initiation of enteral feeds (ORadjust=1.06, 95%CI 1.02-1.09, P=0.020) and respiratory distress syndrome (ORadjust=1.45, 95%CI 1.24-1.69, P<0.001) were all associated with cross-sectional EUGR. Breast milk feeding (ORadjust=1.33, 95%CI 1.05-1.68, P<0.001) was associated with a higher risk of longitudinal EUGR. Conclusions: The incidence of EUGR in VPI in China is high. Some modifiable risk factors provide priorities to improve postnatal growth for VPI. Nutritional management of VPI and the efforts to decrease the incidence of complications are still the focus of clinical management in China.

Prematuridad tardía: recomendaciones para el seguimiento a largo plazo / Late preterm newborn: follow-up recommendations

La tasa de prematuridad global, según laOrganización Mundial de la Salud (OMS),muestra un aumento progresivo; su principal componente es el grupo de prematuros tardíos. Este grupo de pacientes suele tener buen peso al nacer, lo que hace que no se perciba muchas veces el riesgo de presentar un espectro de morbilidades del desarrollo, conductuales einmadurez de diferentes órganos y sistemasque impactan en la evolución a corto y largo plazo y aumentan la morbimortalidad. A su vez, tienen un efecto sustancial en los servicios de atención médica. El objetivo de esta publicación es discutir algunosaspectos relacionados con la salud de este grupo de pacientes y sugerir su seguimiento con un enfoque holístico e interdisciplinario.

The WHO states that prematurity rates have increased mainly due to late preterm births. Since these babies are usually born with appropriate weight for their gestational age, their risk for morbidities such as neurodevelopmental delays, behavioral problems and organ systems immaturity are overlooked. Further, these clinical findings have an impact on short and long term outcomes (i.e., morbidities, mortality, and higher healthcare costs). The aim of this publication is to discuss topics related to late-preterm newborns' health, including a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to follow up care.

Enterocolitis necrosante posterior a evento aislado de taquicardia supraventricular: reporte de un caso de presentación neonatal atípica / Necrotizing enterocolitis after an isolated event of supraventricular tachycardia. Case report of atypical neonatal presentation

La taquicardia supraventricular (TSV) es la principal taquiarritmia en el recién nacido (RN) que requiere una resolución urgente. Por su parte, la enterocolitis necrosante (ECN) es la emergencia gastrointestinal más común que afecta principalmente a RN prematuros. Aunque estas se reconocen como patologías distintas, la bibliografía sugiere que los episodios de TSV pueden predisponer a los pacientes a la ECN a través de alteraciones en el flujo sanguíneo mesentérico y una disminución de la perfusión tisular. Se presenta aquí el caso clínico de un neonato prematuro que desarrolló un cuadro de ECN luego de un evento aislado de TSV con bajo gasto cardíaco

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the main tachyarrhythmia in the newborn (NB) that requires urgent resolution. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency that mainly affects premature infants. Although these conditions are recognized as distinct pathologies, literature reports suggest that episodes of SVT may predispose patients to NEC secondary to disturbances in mesenteric blood flow and a decrease in tissue perfusion. We present here the clinical case of a premature neonate who developed NEC after an isolated SVT event with low cardiac output

El prematuro tardío, ¿qué sabemos desde el punto de vista perinatal? / The late premature, what do we know from the perinatal point of view?

Resumen El parto prematuro es la principal causa de morbimortalidad neonatal en Chile. Los prematuros tardíos, definidos como nacimientos entre 34 semanas con 0 días (34+0) y 36 semanas con 6 días (36+6) de gestación, representan el 70-80% de los prematuros y se asocian a baja morbilidad y excepcional mortalidad si se comparan con partos bajo 34 semanas, pero significativamente mayor al compararlos con partos de término. Los prematuros tardíos son el resultado de diversas condiciones obstétricas, tales como síndromes hipertensivos del embarazo, rotura prematura de membranas, colestasia intrahepática del embarazo y comorbilidad médica. El propósito de esta revisión es actualizar la información asociada a los prematuros tardíos y dar una visión de las tendencias en el uso de corticoides y el manejo expectante de la rotura prematura de membranas con el objetivo de disminuir las complicaciones en este grupo de prematuros.

Abstract Preterm delivery is the most important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in Chile. Late preterm, defined as deliveries between 34 +0 and 36+6-weeks accounts for 70-80% of preterm and is associated with non-severe morbidity and extremely low mortality when compared with deliveries below 34 weeks but significantly high when compared with full term babies. Late preterm deliveries are a result of several obstetric conditions, such a hypertensive disorder, premature rupture of membranes, intrahepatic cholestasis, and maternal medical comorbidities. The purpose of this review is to update the information associated with the risks of late preterm and to guide in the new trends in the application of steroid and expectant management for premature rupture of membranes in order to reduce the frequency of late preterm.

Recent research on gene polymorphisms related to caffeine therapy in preterm infants with apnea of prematurity / 中国当代儿科杂志

Apnea of prematurity (AOP) is one of the common diseases in preterm infants. The main cause of AOP is immature development of the respiratory control center. If AOP is not treated timely and effectively, it will lead to respiratory failure, hypoxic brain injury, and even death in severe cases. Caffeine is the first choice for the treatment of AOP, but its effectiveness varies in preterm infants. With the deepening of AOP research, more and more genetic factors have been confirmed to play important roles in the pathogenesis and treatment of AOP; in particular, the influence of single nucleotide polymorphism on the efficacy of caffeine has become a research hotspot in recent years. This article reviews the gene polymorphisms that affect the efficacy of caffeine, in order to provide a reference for individualized caffeine therapy. Citation.

Establishment of a nomogram model for predicting necrotizing enterocolitis in very preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the risk factors for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very preterm infants and establish a nomogram model for predicting the risk of NEC.@*METHODS@#A total of 752 very preterm infants who were hospitalized from January 2015 to December 2021 were enrolled as subjects, among whom 654 were born in 2015-2020 (development set) and 98 were born in 2021 (validation set). According to the presence or absence of NEC, the development set was divided into two groups: NEC (n=77) and non-NEC (n=577). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent risk factors for NEC in very preterm infants. R software was used to plot the nomogram model. The nomogram model was then validated by the data of the validation set. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, and the calibration curve were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram model, and the clinical decision curve was used to assess the clinical practicability of the model.@*RESULTS@#The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that neonatal asphyxia, sepsis, shock, hypoalbuminemia, severe anemia, and formula feeding were independent risk factors for NEC in very preterm infants (P<0.05). The ROC curve of the development set had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.833 (95%CI: 0.715-0.952), and the ROC curve of the validation set had an AUC of 0.826 (95%CI: 0.797-0.862), suggesting that the nomogram model had a good discriminatory ability. The calibration curve analysis and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed good accuracy and consistency between the predicted value of the model and the actual value.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Neonatal asphyxia, sepsis, shock, hypoalbuminemia, severe anemia, and formula feeding are independent risk factors for NEC in very preterm infant. The nomogram model based on the multivariate logistic regression analysis provides a quantitative, simple, and intuitive tool for early assessment of the development of NEC in very preterm infants in clinical practice.

Establishment of a predictive nomogram model for predicting the death of very preterm infants during hospitalization / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To establish a nomogram model for predicting the risk of death of very preterm infants during hospitalization.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 1 714 very preterm infants who were admitted to the Department of Neonatology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, from January 2015 to December 2019. These infants were randomly divided into a training cohort (1 179 infants) and a validation cohort (535 infants) at a ratio of 7∶3. The logistic regression analysis was used to screen out independent predictive factors and establish a nomogram model, and the feasibility of the nomogram model was assessed by the validation set. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the discriminatory ability, accuracy, and clinical applicability of the model.@*RESULTS@#Among the 1 714 very preterm infants, 260 died and 1 454 survived during hospitalization. By the multivariate logistic regression analysis of the training set, 8 variables including gestational age <28 weeks, birth weight <1 000 g, severe asphyxia, severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), grade III-IV respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and sepsis, cesarean section, and use of prenatal glucocorticoids were selected and a nomogram model for predicting the risk of death during hospitalization was established. In the training cohort, the nomogram model had an AUC of 0.790 (95%CI: 0.751-0.828) in predicting the death of very preterm infants during hospitalization, while in the validation cohort, it had an AUC of 0.808 (95%CI: 0.754-0.861). The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed a good fit (P>0.05). DCA results showed a high net benefit of clinical intervention in very preterm infants when the threshold probability was 10%-60% for the training cohort and 10%-70% for the validation cohort.@*CONCLUSIONS@#A nomogram model for predicting the risk of death during hospitalization has been established and validated in very preterm infants, which can help clinicians predict the probability of death during hospitalization in these infants.

Non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion in very preterm and extremely preterm infants in Chinese neonatal intensive care units / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To describe the use of non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion in very preterm and extremely preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) of the Chinese Neonatal Network (CHNN) in 2019, to explore the disparity between different centers, and to further investigate the rationality and standardability of non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on the CHNN cohort of very preterm and extremely preterm infants. All 6 598 infants with gestational age (GA)<32 weeks and admitted to the 57 NICU of CHNN within 24 h of life in 2019 were enrolled. Non-erythrocyte blood products included platelet, plasma, albumin, immunoglobulin, cryoprecipitate and prothrombin complex. Infants who received at least one type of non-erythrocyte blood products were defined in transfusion group. The comparison between infants with and without transfusion was done by t-test, rank-sum test or χ2 test as appropriate. Linear regression model was used to generate adjusted transfusion rate of each center, and to investigate the correlation between adjusted rate and center-level characteristics. Results: A total of 6 598 infants were enrolled in the study, with gestational age of 30.0 (28.7, 31.0) weeks and birth weight of (1 353±312) g, and 43.6 % (2 877) of them were female. Among them, 42.7% (2 816) infants were enrolled in transfusion group, with the times of transfusion as 3 (1, 6) times. Compared to the infants without any transfusion of non-erythrocyte blood products, those infants received transfusion had lower gestational age (Z=17.62, P<0.01), lower birth weight (t=18.64, P<0.01), higher proportion of small-for-gestation age (χ2=31.06, P<0.01), multiple birth (χ²=12.82, P<0.01) and intensive resuscitation in delivery room (χ²=287.52, P<0.01), as well as lower proportion of females (χ²=10.68, P<0.01) and even lower proportion of infants born in this hospital (χ²=78.23, P<0.01). Among the entire study population, albumin (25.4%, 1 674 cases), immunoglobulin (21.5%, 1 417 cases) and plasma (18.9%, 1 245 cases) were the most commonly used non-erythrocyte blood products. Overall, 60.4% (544/901) infants with gestational age <28 weeks received transfusion 4 (2, 8) times. A total of 39.9% (2 272/5 697) infants between 28-31weeks received non-erythrocyte blood products 3 (1, 6) times. The non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion rates of critically-ill and non-critically-ill infants were 62.2% (1 693/2 723) and 29.0% (1 123/3 875) respectively, and the transfusion times were 4 (2,7) and 2 (1,4) times. The transfusion rates varied significantly among different NICU, and the disparities remained obvious after adjustment (adjusted χ²=153.48, P<0.01). Conclusion: Near half of very preterm and extremely preterm infants admitted to Chinese NICU in 2019 receive non-erythrocyte blood products during hospitalization with significant disparities among different hospitals.

Definición de displasia broncopulmonar propuesta por la Comisión Neo SOCHINEP / Definition of bronchopulmonary dysplasia proposed by the Neo SOCHINEP Commission

La displasia broncopulmonar (DBP) es la enfermedad crónica más frecuente del recién nacido prematuro. Los avances en su prevención y tratamiento han permitido una mayor sobrevida de prematuros más pequeños, pero su incidencia se ha mantenido estable en el tiempo, con una fisiopatología y presentación clínica que abarca un amplio espectro y que difiere de la DBP descrita originalmente hace más de 50 años. Aún existen controversias en su definición, la que se ha establecido en base al tratamiento, específicamente al requerimiento de soporte respiratorio. Las definiciones más utilizadas son el requerimiento de oxígeno por 28 días y a las 36 semanas de edad gestacional corregida (EGC). Recientemente se ha propuesto definirla en base al requerimiento de ventilación mecánica a las 36 semanas de EGC, lo que identificaría a los prematuros con DBP más grave y mayor probabilidad de complicaciones respiratorias y neurológicas en los 2 primeros años de vida. Nuestro objetivo en la comisión de Neo-SOCHINEP es el de recomendar la definición y clasificación que nos parece más adecuada para identificar a los prematuros portadores de DBP, considerando los aspectos fisiopatológicos, del compromiso de la función pulmonar y consecuencias prácticas de la definición en nuestro medio. También proponemos la definición del requerimiento de oxígeno en el prematuro cuando esta en neonatología, las condiciones e interpretación de la saturometría contínua cuando está pronto al alta y el seguimiento de la oxigenoterapia posterior al alta.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most frequent chronic disease of the premature newborn. Advances in its prevention and treatment have allowed a greater survival of smaller preterm infants, but its incidence has remained stable over time, with a pathophysiology and clinical presentation that covers a wide spectrum and differs from the BPD originally described more than 50 years ago. There are still controversies in its definition, which has been established based on the treatment, specifically the requirement of respiratory support. The most used definitions are the oxygen requirement for 28 days and at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA). It has recently been proposed a definition based on the requirement of mechanical ventilation at 36 weeks of PMA, which would identify premature infants with more severe BPD and a greater probability of respiratory and neurological complications in the first 2 years of life. Our objective in the Neo-SOCHINEP commission is to recommend the definition and classification that we believe is most appropriate to identify premature infants with BPD, considering the pathophysiological aspects, the compromised lung function, and practical consequences of the definition in our medium. We also propose the definition of the oxygen requirement in premature infants when they are in neonatology, the conditions and interpretation of continuous saturation when they are soon discharged, and the follow-up of post-discharge oxygen therapy.

Intergrowth versus fenton: há diferença no diagnóstico de retardo de crescimento extrauterino em prematuros durante internamento hospitalar? / Intergrowth versus fenton: is there a difference in the diagnosis of extrauterine growth retardation in preterm infants during hospitalization

Introdução: alterações no padrão de crescimento de recém-nascidos prematuros podem ter implicações para sua saúde futura. A literatura dispõe de diversas ferramentas e pontos de corte para avaliação da sua adequação, logo, diferentes diagnósticos podem ser obtidos a depender do parâmetro adotado. Objetivo: determinar a diferença no diagnóstico de Retardo de Crescimento Extrauterino em prematuros, durante internamento hospitalar, conforme as curvas de Fenton e Intergrowth. Metodologia: trata-se de estudo transversal, com dados secundários, coletados durante o internamento em unidade de terapia intensiva e de cuidados intermediários convencionais neonatais de uma maternidade pública, em 2019, Coletaram-se medidas de peso e perímetro cefálico ao nascer e no momento da alta/transferência e calcularam-se seus respectivos indicadores antropométricos de acordo com as duas curvas. Utilizaramse duas classificações para o Retardo: diagnóstico de Pequeno para Idade Gestacional na alta/transferência; queda no escore Z dos indicadores maior ou igual a 1 entre o nascimento e a alta/transferência. Resultados: Não houve diferença em relação ao número de crianças classificadas como Pequeno para Idade Gestacional ao nascer, entre as curvas. Porém, no momento da alta/transferência houve maior prevalência de Pequeno para a Idade Gestacional/Retardo de Crescimento Extrauterino, de acordo com Fenton (73,6% versus 64,9%). A análise longitudinal dos indicadores de crescimento para caracterização do referido retardo por meio da curva de Fenton também detectou maior número de diagnósticos. Conclusão: conclui-se que o diagnóstico do retardo apresentou diferenças entre os referenciais. Os parâmetros de Fenton determinaram maior ocorrência dele no momento do desfecho, independente da realização da avaliação transversal ou longitudinal dos indicadores.

Introduction: changes in growth pattern of preterm infants may have implications for their future health. Literature has several tools and cutoff points to assess its adequacy, therefore, different diagnosis may be obtained depending on the adopted parameter. Objective: determine the difference in diagnosis of extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in preterm infants during hospitalization based on Fenton 2013) and Intergrowth-21 (2014) curves. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study with secondary data which were collected during hospitalization in an intensive care unit and neonatal conventional intermediate care in a public maternity hospital, in 2019. Results: weight and head circumference measurements were collected at birth and at discharge/transfer and their respective anthropometric indicators were calculated according to Fenton and Intergrowth-21 curves. The following EUGR criteria were used: diagnosis of small for gestational age (SGA) at discharge/transfer; decrease in Z score for indicators higher or equal to 1 between birth and discharge/transfer. There was no difference in the number of children classified as SGA at birth between the curves. However, at the time of discharge/ transfer there was a higher prevalence of SGA/EUGR according to Fenton (73.6% versus 64.9%). Longitudinal analysis of growth indicators for EUGR using Fenton curve also detected a higher number of patients with EUGR. Conclusion: the conclusion is that EUGR diagnosis showed differences between Fenton and Intergrowth methods. Fenton's parameters determined a higher occurrence of EUGR at the time of outcome, regardless of whether indicators were cross-sectionally or longitudinally evaluated.

Quistes subglóticos adquiridos: Reporte de tres casos y revisión de la literatura / Acquired subglottic cysts: Report of three cases and review of the literature

Los quistes subglóticos adquiridos son una causa rara de estridor en la infancia, cuyo reporte ha ido en aumento en las últimas décadas. Su aparición se relaciona con la prematurez y la intubación en el periodo neonatal. Histológicamente, se observa una obstrucción de las glándulas mucosas de la subglotis debido una metaplasia escamosa del epitelio respiratorio. Esta es una condición que usualmente requiere de un alto índice de sospecha para llegar al diagnóstico, ya que pueden confundirse con otras patologías como laringitis aguda (croup), laringomalacia o asma. La nasofibroscopía permite sospechar su presencia, pero el gold standard diagnóstico lo constituye la laringo-tra-queo-broncoscopía directa en pabellón. Existen diversas técnicas para su manejo, siendo las más frecuentemente utilizadas la marsupialización con instrumental frío y láser. La recurrencia es frecuente, por lo que algunos autores han utilizado mitomicina C y la terapia antirreflujo para intentar disminuirla. Sin embargo, hasta la fecha falta evidencia de calidad que permita llegar a un consenso respecto al manejo ideal de esta patología. En este trabajo, presentamos tres casos clínico de pacientes con antecedentes de prematurez que fueron diagnosticados con quistes subglóticos adquiridos y manejados en un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad.

Acquired subglottic cysts are an infrequent cause of stridor in infants, which has been increasingly reported in the last decades. Its appearance is related to prematurity and intubation in the neonatal period. Histologically, findings are characterized by an obstruction of the mucosal glands, due to squamous metaplasia of the respiratory epithelium. This condition usually requires a high index of suspicion to be diagnosed, as it can be misdiagnosed as croup, laryngomalacia or asthma. Flexible nasendoscopy allows an initial exploration of the larynx, but direct laryngo-tracheo-bronchoscopy in the operating room is the diagnostic gold standard. There are several techniques for its management, but the most frequently used are cold-steel marsupialization and laser. Recurrence is common, and some authors have used mitomycin C and antireflux therapy to try to decrease it. However, up to date, there is a lack of high-quality evidence, regarding the ideal management of this pathology, which prevents reaching a consensus. In this article, we present three clinical cases of premature patients who were diagnosed with subglottic cysts, treated in a tertiary pediatric hospital.

Impact of bundle implementation on the incidence of peri/intraventricular hemorrhage among preterm infants: a pre-post interventional study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Peri/intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) is a frequent cause of death and morbidity among preterm infants. Few studies have addressed the use of bundles for preventing PIVH. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a bundle of interventions designed to decrease the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage at hospital discharge among preterm infants. DESIGN AND SETTING: Pre-post interventional study with retrospective and prospective data collection performed before and after bundle implementation in the neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital. METHODS: Infants with gestational age < 32 weeks without malformations, who survived > 6 days were included. The bundle consisted of the following actions during the first 72 hours of life: maintenance of head in neutral position with the body in supine position, minimal handling, including delay of lumbar puncture until after 72 hours and absence of respiratory therapy maneuvers. Cranial ultrasound was performed on days 3, 7 and 28, or later if needed. The effect of the bundle was analyzed through logistic regression and results were adjusted for confounding variables. RESULTS: 167 infants met the inclusion criteria; 146 (87%) were analyzed. Bundle implementation was associated with decreased chances of PIVH at hospital discharge (odds ratio 0.29; 95% confidence interval 0.13-0.65). Cerebrospinal fluid collection within the first 72 hours increased the odds of PIVH of any grade during the hospital stay fourfold, after adjustment for all variables included in the model. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a bundle of interventions to avoid intraventricular hemorrhage was effective for decreasing the incidence of all grades of PIVH in preterm infants.

Premature birth: topics in physiology and pharmacological characteristics

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: To review the main physiological and pharmacological changes related to prematurity, to promote the evidence-based clinical practice. METHODS: This is a narrative review whose research was carried out in the ScienceDirect and Medline databases via PubMed, searching for articles in any language from January 2000 to February 2020. RESULTS: Premature newborns are born before completing the maturation process that prepares them for extrauterine life, which occurs especially in the last weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, they have their own characteristics in development. Several physiological peculiarities stand out, such as disturbances in glucose regulation, adrenal function, thermoregulation, immunity, in addition to changes in liver, renal and respiratory functions. Pharmacological aspects were also highlighted, involving pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the recent advances in prematurity, it is still an area with many uncertainties, since several changes occur quickly and there are ethical issues that make studies difficult. Thus, it is clear that the therapeutic management of premature infants is still very much based on clinical practice.

Clinical features of very preterm infants with prelabor rupture of membranes and predictive factors for major adverse outcomes / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the clinical features of very preterm infants with prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) and predictive factors for early-onset sepsis (EOS) and death.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of the very preterm infants with PROM (with a gestational age of < 32 weeks) who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from January 2018 to May 2020. According to the time from membrane rupture to delivery, the infants were divided into four groups: < 18 hours (@*RESULTS@#There was no significant difference in the incidence rates of major neonatal complications and mortality rate among the very preterm infants with different times of PROM (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Prolonged PROM does not increase the incidence of neonatal complications and mortality in very preterm infants. Adverse outcomes of very preterm infants with PROM are mainly associated with lower birth weights, lung immaturity, and systemic infection.