Management of congenital and acquired airway pathologies in newborns by a cross-disciplinary committee at a third level hospital. / Manejo de la patología congénita y adquirida de la vía aérea en el neonato por parte de un comité multidisciplinar en un centro terciario.

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal airway examination through flexible/rigid bronchoscopy has proved to be useful in the presence of persistent stridor and extubation failure, as well as to assess complications following cardiac surgery. At our institution, these examinations are carried out by a pulmonologist, a neonatologist, an otorhinolaryngologist, and a pediatric surgeon from the pediatric airway committee, established in 2014. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the airway examinations performed in neonates during their stay at the neonatology/neonatal intensive care unit since the airway committee was established. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of the airway examinations conducted in neonates from 2015 to 2019 was carried out. Clinical and demographic data, number of examinations, indications, findings, and complications were collected. Results are presented as mean and standard deviation. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05. RESULTS: 92 airway examinations were analyzed in 51 patients (54.9% of whom were female). 51% of the patients were premature. Extubation failure and persistent respiratory symptoms following successful extubation were the most frequent indications for airway examination (35.3%). Stratification by gestational age or weight at birth was not associated with an increased risk of pathological findings at examination (p > 0.05). The most frequent finding was vocal cord paralysis (n = 14; 27.5%). In 10 patients (19.6%), no pathological findings were observed. CONCLUSION: Airway examination is useful in patients with stridor to identify vocal cord paralysis following extubation failure. It also allows congenital airway pathologies to be diagnosed and treated. The number of examinations with no pathological findings was similar to that reported in international series.

INTRODUCCION: La exploración de vía aérea mediante broncoscopia flexible/rígida en el neonato ha demostrado utilidad en el estridor persistente, extubaciones fallidas o para valorar complicaciones tras cirugía cardiaca. En nuestro hospital estas exploraciones son practicadas por un neumólogo, neonatólogo, otorrinolaringólogo y cirujano pediátrico del Comité de Vía Aérea Pediátrica, formado en 2014. OBJETIVO: Analizar las exploraciones de vía aérea practicadas a neonatos durante su estancia en Neonatología/Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales desde la constitución del Comité de Vía Aérea. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Estudio retrospectivo de exploraciones de vía aérea practicadas a neonatos de 2015-2019. Se recogen datos clínicos y demográficos, número de exploraciones, indicación, hallazgos y complicaciones. Se presentan las medias con su desviación estándar. Se consideró un resultado estadísticamente significativo cuando p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Se analizaron 92 exploraciones de vía aérea en 51 pacientes (género femenino: 54,9%). El 51% de los pacientes fueron prematuros. La extubación fallida y la persistencia de sintomatología respiratoria tras una extubación satisfactoria fueron las indicaciones más frecuentes (35,3%). La estratificación por edad gestacional o por peso al nacimiento no se asociaba a un mayor riesgo de presentar hallazgos patológicos en la exploración. El hallazgo más frecuente fue la parálisis de cuerda vocal (n = 14; 27,5%). En 10 pacientes (19,6%) no se encontraron hallazgos patológicos. CONCLUSION: La exploración de la vía aérea es útil en pacientes con estridor postextubación y para identificar parálisis de cuerda vocal tras extubación fallida. Además, permite el diagnóstico y tratamiento de patologías congénitas de la vía aérea.

Manejo de la patología congénita y adquirida de la vía aérea en el neonato por parte de un comité multidisciplinar en un centro terciario / Management of congenital and acquired airway pathologies in newborns by a cross-disciplinary committee at a third level hospital

Introducción: La exploración de vía aérea mediante broncoscopiaflexible/rígida en el neonato ha demostrado utilidad en el estridor persistente, extubaciones fallidas o para valorar complicaciones tras cirugíacardiaca. En nuestro hospital estas exploraciones son practicadas porun neumólogo, neonatólogo, otorrinolaringólogo y cirujano pediátricodel Comité de Vía Aérea Pediátrica, formado en 2014. Objetivo: Analizar las exploraciones de vía aérea practicadas aneonatos durante su estancia en Neonatología/Unidad de CuidadosIntensivos Neonatales desde la constitución del Comité de Vía Aérea.Materiales. Estudio retrospectivo de exploraciones de vía aéreapracticadas a neonatos en el periodo 2015-2019. Se recogen datosclínicos y demográficos, número de exploraciones, indicación, hallazgos y complicaciones. Se presentan las medias con su desviaciónestándar. Se consideró un resultado estadísticamente significativocuando p < 0,05. Resultados: Se analizaron 92 exploraciones de vía aérea en 51pacientes (género femenino: 54,9%). El 51% de los pacientes fueronprematuros. La extubación fallida y la persistencia de sintomatologíarespiratoria tras una extubación satisfactoria fueron las indicacionesmás frecuentes (35,3%). La estratificación por edad gestacional o porpeso al nacimiento no se asociaba a un mayor riesgo de presentar ha-llazgos patológicos en la exploración. El hallazgo más frecuente fue laparálisis de cuerda vocal (n = 14; 27,5%). En 10 pacientes (19,6%) nose encontraron hallazgos patológicos. Conclusión: La exploración de la vía aérea es útil en pacientes conestridor postextubación y para identificar parálisis de cuerda vocal trasextubación fallida. Además, permite el diagnóstico y tratamiento depatologías congénitas de la vía aérea.(AU)

Introduction: Neonatal airway examination through flexible/rigid bronchoscopy has proved to be useful in the presence of persis-tent stridor and extubation failure, as well as to assess complicationsfollowing cardiac surgery. At our institution, these examinations arecarried out by a pulmonologist, a neonatologist, an otorhinolaryngolo-gist, and a pediatric surgeon from the pediatric airway committee,established in 2014. Objective: To analyze the airway examinations performed in neo-nates during their stay at the neonatology/neonatal intensive care unitsince the airway committee was established.Materials and methods. A retrospective study of the airway ex-aminations conducted in neonates from 2015 to 2019 was carried out.Clinical and demographic data, number of examinations, indications,findings, and complications were collected. Results are presented asmean and standard deviation. Statistical significance was establishedat p < 0.05. Results: 92 airway examinations were analyzed in 51 patients(54.9% of whom were female). 51% of the patients were premature.Extubation failure and persistent respiratory symptoms followingsuccessful extubation were the most frequent indications for airwayexamination (35.3%). Stratification by gestational age or weight atbirth was not associated with an increased risk of pathological findingsat examination (p > 0.05). The most frequent finding was vocal cordparalysis (n = 14; 27.5%). In 10 patients (19.6%), no pathologicalfindings were observed. Conclusion: Airway examination is useful in patients with stridorto identify vocal cord paralysis following extubation failure. It alsoallows congenital airway pathologies to be diagnosed and treated. Thenumber of examinations with no pathological findings was similar tothat reported in international series.(AU)

Non-invasive monitoring of stress biomarkers in the newborn period.

The neonatal period is a highly sensitive time span during which stressful experiences may have an influence on later health outcomes. Medical procedures applied to newborn babies during hospitalization are stressors that trigger a physiological and psychological stress response. Stress response has been traditionally evaluated using scores based on behavioural signs such as facial expressions, limb movements, crying, etc., which are subjectively interpreted. Only few studies have employed measurable physiological signs to objectively evaluate the stress response to specific interventions. The aim of this review is to inform of recently developed biochemical methods that allow clinicians to evaluate the stress response to medical procedures performed in the neonatal period in biological samples non-invasively obtained. Stress biomarkers are based on the physiological stress response mediated by the hypophysis-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic-adreno-medullary systems. Cortisol is at present the most widely employed laboratory determination to measure stress levels. In recent years, sequentially determined salivary cortisol levels have allowed non-invasive monitoring of newborn infants under stressful conditions in the NICU.

[Recent advances in research on neonatal resuscitation: an update]. / Investigación en reanimación neonatal: últimos avances.

Coinciding with the Annual Meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) last May 2008 in Honolulu (Hawaii, USA), Professor Colin Morley and his colleagues (University of Melbourne, Australia) held a Workshop on Research in Neonatal Resuscitation. Experts in the field presented their results and future projects over 2 days. The subjects presented during the workshop were: oxygen, air and oximetry; when and where to apply surfactant; neonatal resuscitation research techniques; teaching neonatal resuscitation; cellular physiology and biology; CPAP/PEEP/prolonged inspiration; video recording during resuscitation. Sessions were characterized by an interactive discussion. Our intention is to tell about some of the most innovative aspects that might interest our neonatal colleagues who did not have the opportunity to attend the meeting. As much of the information contained in this article is on experiments based, we recommend the reader not to consider it for immediate application in clinical practice until it has been validated by sufficient proof.

Investigación en reanimación neonatal: últimos avances / Recent advances in research on neonatal resuscitation: an update

En mayo de 2008 y en coincidencia con la reunión anual de las Pediatric Academic Societies, se realizó en Honolulu (Hawaii, EE. UU.) un simposio sobre Investigación en reanimación neonatal, organizado por el profesor Colin Morley (Universidad de Melbourne, Australia). Durante 2 días, expertos en el área de la investigación en reanimación neonatal presentaron sus resultados y proyectos. Las áreas estudiadas fueron oxígeno, aire y oximetría; cuándo y dónde aplicar el agente tensioactivo; técnicas de investigación en reanimación neonatal; enseñanza de reanimación neonatal; fisiología y biología celulares; presión positiva continua en la vía respiratoria, presión positiva final espiratoria e inspiración prolongada, y grabación mediante vídeo de la reanimación. El simposio se caracterizó por una discusión activa. En este artículo se relatan aquellos aspectos más novedosos que pueden ser de interés para los neonatólogos que no tuvieron la oportunidad de asistir. Ya que mucha de la información que se presenta en este artículo procede del campo experimental, es recomendable que el lector no la traslade directamente a la práctica clínica hasta que haya sido avalada por pruebas suficientes (AU)

Coinciding with the Annual Meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) last May 2008 in Honolulu (Hawaii, USA), Professor Colin Morley and his colleagues (University of Melbourne, Australia) held a Workshop on Research in Neonatal Resuscitation. Experts in the field presented their results and future projects over 2 days. The subjects presented during the workshop were: oxygen, air and oximetry; when and where to apply surfactant; neonatal resuscitation research techniques; teaching neonatal resuscitation; cellular physiology and biology; CPAP/PEEP/prolonged inspiration; video recording during resuscitation. Sessions were characterized by an interactive discussion. Our intention is to tell about some of the most innovative aspects that might interest our neonatal colleagues who did not have the opportunity to attend the meeting. As much of the information contained in this article is on experiments based, we recommend the reader not to consider it for immediate application in clinical practice until it has been validated by sufficient proof (AU)

Haemolysis alters plasma flecainide levels in newborn infants.

Refractory neonatal supra-ventricular tachycardia may require the use of flecainide as anti-arrhythmic. Close control of plasma levels is mandatory due to pro-arrhythmic complications. However, inadvertent hemolysis during blood sampling may cause an increase in measured plasma flecainide concentrations. We conclude, therefore, that dosing of the drug should be always done with caution, and in case of suspected haemolysis plasma levels should be repeated with a new blood sample.

Oxidative stress as a signal to up-regulate gamma-cystathionase in the fetal-to-neonatal transition in rats.

Hepatic gamma-cystathionase, a rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of L-cysteine from L-methionine in the trans-sulphuration pathway, exhibits significantly higher activity in the newly born infant as compared to the fetus. The aim of this work was: 1) To determine whether the increase in gamma-cystathionase activity occurring in the fetal-to-neonatal transition is due to up-regulation of its mRNA and protein, 2) To elucidate the mechanisms responsible for this increase in gamma-cystathionase activity. Our results show that expression of gamma-cystathionase at both the mRNA and protein levels was higher in newborn than in fetal liver. gamma-Cystathionase activity in fetal hepatocytes in vitro increased when incubated with tert-butyl-hydroperoxide at low concentration (0.01 mM). Hence, moderate oxidative stress would act as a signal to up-regulate gamma-cystathionase in the fetal to neonatal transition. Stress hormones, such as phenylephrine or glucagon also increased gamma-cystathionase activity in fetal hepatocytes. We also report a competitive inhibition of purified gamma-cystathionase by L-cysteine, which would help to maintain physiological low L-cysteine levels in hepatocytes. In conclusion, our results show that increased hepatic gamma-cystathionase activity in the fetal-to-neonatal transition is due to up-regulation of its gene expression mediated by stress hormones together with the physiological oxidative stress that occurs at birth.