Comparing the effects of 5-minute premature infant oral motor intervention with 15-minute Fucile treatment in term infants with feeding difficulties: A multi-arm randomised clinical trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether term infants with feeding difficulties who received either a 5-minute premature infant oral motor intervention (PIOMI) or a 15-minute Fucile treatment had different outcomes, compared to term infants in a nontreatment group. METHOD: Stable term infants (N = 51) born between 37-41 weeks of gestational age with feeding difficulties were randomly assigned into one of two intervention groups and a control group. One intervention group received PIOMI and the other group received Fucile treatment once a day for seven consecutive days; the control group received usual care only. The volume of milk intake, the amount of weight gain, and the length of hospital stay were compared across all groups. RESULT: Findings indicated that the volume of milk intake and weight gain showed significant improvement in all three groups. However, pairwise comparison revealed that infants in the Fucile group had significantly higher volume of milk intake and weight gain compared to infants in both the control and PIOMI groups. Length of hospital stay was not significantly different amongst all groups. CONCLUSION: The effects of Fucile treatment were more considerable than for usual care or PIOMI. This finding raises the possibility that prolonged exercise may facilitate improvement in feeding skills for term infants with feeding difficulties.

Dataset on neonatal and maternal factors influencing neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants: A study focused on the healthcare context of Mashhad, Iran.

This dataset offers an insight into the neurodevelopmental trajectories of preterm infants, encapsulating a wide array of neonatal and maternal factors. The data variables include demographic details alongside a detailed account of maternal health during pregnancy, encompassing aspects and other complications. Furthermore, the dataset documents neonatal health conditions. It also records critical indicators of neonatal health. The dataset is enriched with data on medical interventions and hospitalization details. It also contains information on the mother's drug usage during pregnancy and sonography results. A significant portion of the dataset is dedicated to the developmental assessment of the infants, utilizing the Bayley Scales to evaluate various domains such as cognitive, language, perceptual, fine motor, and coarse motor skills. The data are categorized to denote normal and abnormal outcomes in these domains, providing a detailed view of the developmental progress of the infants. The reuse potential of this dataset is substantial, serving as a rich resource for researchers and clinicians aiming to delve deeper into the multifaceted influences on preterm infant development. It can significantly contribute to the formulation of early intervention strategies, fostering a better understanding and enhancement of developmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Investigating the impact of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccination on antibody response in pregnant women and their newborns.

This study aims to investigate the levels of receptor-binding domain (RBD), spike, and neutralizing antibodies in pregnant women who received the Sinopharm vaccine and their newborns. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary center, Mashhad, Iran. We included 88 pregnant women who had received at least two doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. Maternal and umbilical cord blood samples taken at delivery were analyzed for antibodies using ELISA tests. Antibody levels did not vary significantly between women with two or three vaccine doses. Only 1.1% of mothers had undetectable levels of RBD antibodies, but detectable antibodies were observed in all newborns. A significant linear correlation was found between the levels of neutralizing antibodies (r = 0.7, p < 0.001) and RBD antibodies (r = 0.833, p < 0.001) in mothers and their newborns, but not for Spike antibodies (r = 0.214, p = 0.045). In mothers, high titers of antispike and RBD antibodies were observed at the time of delivery. The high titers of RBD and antispike antibodies were found in cord blood, suggesting potential neonatal immunity. Detectable levels of antibodies were found in both groups, regardless of the timing of vaccination. The Sinopharm vaccine generates detectable levels of antibodies in pregnant women, which are efficiently transferred to their newborns. The number of vaccine doses (two or three) did not significantly impact the levels of detectable antibodies. This underscores Sinopharm's potential efficacy in protecting pregnant women and their infants from COVID-19.

Predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants: A comprehensive evaluation of neonatal and maternal risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants (≤ 34 weeks gestational age) in the NICU. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 89 preterm infants admitted to the NICU of Ghaem hospital, Mashhad, between 2016 and 2020. Data on neonatal and maternal factors were collected. By recalling the mentioned infants in 2021, the neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and binary logistic regression conducted with SPSS V.26 and R program software. RESULTS: The sample comprised 48.3 % males with a mean gestational age of 32.10 weeks. Bayley Scale analysis revealed significant associations of Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Pneumothorax, and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia with impairments in all domains. Diabetes in Pregnancy, Surfactant use, and Necrotizing Enterocolitis were also significantly linked to various impairments. Lower Apgar scores, gestational age, birth weight, and extended hospitalization and oxygen therapy durations correlated with several domain impairments. Logistic regression showed hospitalization duration impacted the coarse motor domain (OR = 0.92, p = 0.019), oxygen therapy duration influenced cognitive, perceptual, and fine motor domains. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the importance of considering neonatal and maternal factors when assessing developmental outcomes in preterm infant. Long hospital stays and increase duration of oxygen therapy associated with negative developmental outcomes in different domains of Bayley scales. Early identification of these risk factors and targeted interventions may improve long-term outcomes for preterm children.

Neonates with Covid-19 infection: Is there any different treatment process?

This study was designed to investigate the neonates with COVID-19 admitted to two hospitals in Neyshabur and Mashhad, Iran. In this study, 17 neonates are introduced with positive nasopharyngeal COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test who admitted to two hospitals in Iran. Perinatal information, contacts with a person with COVID-19 infection, clinical signs at the time of admission, laboratory tests, radiological evaluations, pulmonary and extra pulmonary complications, and short-term outcome have been reported. 8 neonates had positive COVID-19 PCR test of mothers at the time of delivery in the first 24 hours and subjected to invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation due to respiratory distress. 9 neonates on 9-18 days of birth were admitted with pulmonary and extra pulmonary symptoms by fever as a main clinical sign. All of cases except one had a history of contact with the infected person. The treatments were mostly supportive, by the way 6 neonates receiving surfactant treatment and 2 of them receiving systemic steroid therapy. Only one neonate died and the others were discharged without any complications. The results showed that the symptoms and severity of the disease in neonates are milder than adults. The possibility of vertical transmission due to the onset of symptoms immediately after birth is still present in some neonates of affected mothers.

Comparison of birth weights of neonates of mothers receiving vs. not receiving zinc supplement at pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Zinc is an essential element for normal embryogenesis and embryonic and neonatal development. Therefore, we compared the birth weights of neonates born to mothers who consumed zinc supplement during pregnancy with that of neonates born to mothers who did not. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we divided 200 pregnant mothers into two groups: case group (mothers receiving zinc supplement during pregnancy) and control group (mothers not receiving zinc supplement during pregnancy) Then, the neonate's cord zinc level and mother's serum level were measured and neonate's growth charts (weight, height and head circumference)were completed. RESULTS: In this study, both groups of mothers were observed to have zinc deficiency; 35% of the mothers who consumed zinc supplements and 81% of the mothers who did not consume zinc supplements (P < 0.001). Based on the results, maternal serum of zinc (P < 0.001), neonatal birth weight (P = 0.008), maternal age (P < 0.001) and parity (P < 0.01) in zinc-supplemented group were higher. Neonatal birth weight was associated moderately with mother's zinc serum levels and poorly with neonatal serum zinc levels. CONCLUSION: Zinc consumption during pregnancy increases serum zinc level of mother and neonatal weight. Neonatal weight has a higher correlation to maternal serum zinc level.

The vitamin D level in umbilical cord blood in premature infants with or without intra-ventricular hemorrhage: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Intra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is acute cerebral complications of premature infants which may lead to the long-term problems. OBJECTIVE: According to the role of vitamin D in the stability of the blood vessels, the present study was carried out in order to compare the vitamin D level in the premature infants with or without IVH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 180 premature infants in the Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran 97 infants without IVH (53.9%) and 83 with IVH (46.1%) through convenience sampling technique in 2015-2017. Serum vitamin D level of funiculus in the two groups was compared. A researcher made questionnaire was used which includes infants' personal and laboratory information; and their mother's information. RESULTS: Seventy nine percent of infants suffered from vitamin D deficiency in which 33.9% had a severe deficiency (less than 10 ng/ml), 30% moderate deficiency (10.1-20 ng/ml), 15% slight deficiency (20.1-30 ng/ml) and 21.1% had normal vitamin D (>30.1 ng/ml). Vitamin D mean±SD of infants in the control group, 23.71±12.98 ng/ml and case group 15.92±10.27 ng/ml (p<0.001). In total 92.8% of infants with IVH had levels of vitamin D below30 ng/ml, while this rate was 67% in infants without IVH. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency in the premature infants is very common. Also, the serum vitamin D level in infants with IVH was less than infants without IVH. Therefore, the recommendation of vitamin D may be effective in the prevention of neonatal IVH.

Serum level of vitamin D in preterm infants and its association with premature-related respiratory complications: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Prematurity and related problems, especially respiratory distress, are one of the main challenges for neonatal medicine. The aim of this study was to compare vitamin D levels in preterm infants with, and those without respiratory distress. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted in Ghaem and Emam Reza Hospitals in Mashhad (Iran) from 2015 to 2016. In this study, we examined 160 preterm infants weighing less than 2000 grams and born at less than 34 weeks' gestation. Serum vitamin D levels were measured in preterm infants without- and those with respiratory distress, and their mothers. Neonatal characteristics, including age, sex, birth weight, gestational age, Apgar score and needs for oxygen, resuscitation, ventilation and surfactant were documented. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. RESULTS: Means serum level of maternal vitamin D in control and case groups were 16.66±14.29 ng/dl and 21.23±15.19 ng/dl, respectively (p=0.029). In addition, mean serum level of neonatal vitamin D in control and case groups were 11.69±8.66 ng/dl 17.9±12.55 ng/dl, respectively (p=0.001). Vitamin D levels in premature neonates without respiratory distress and their mothers were significantly different from other preterm neonates with respiratory distress (p=0.029). There was a direct correlation with neonatal and maternal vitamin D levels (r=0.713, p=0.001). The duration of hospitalization (p=0.001), gestational age (p=0.073), birth weight (p=0.001), one- and (p=0.001) five-minute (p=0.001) Apgar scores and head circumference (p=0.002) had significant relation with vitamin D levels in neonates. Death (12.5%) and pneumothorax (7.5%) were the main complications among cases with respiratory distress. CONCLUSION: According to the results of present research, neonatal vitamin D levels have a significant association with respiratory distress syndrome and maternal vitamin D levels.

Effects of intravenous administration of fentanyl and lidocaine on hemodynamic responses following endotracheal intubation.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of intravenous fentanyl and lidocaine on hemodynamic changes following endotracheal intubation in patients requiring Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: A single-centered, prospective, simple non-randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 96 patients who needed RSI in Edalatian ED. They were randomly divided into three groups (fentanyl group (F), lidocaine group (L), and fentanyl plus lidocaine (M) as our control group). M was administered with 3 µgr/kg intravenous fentanyl and 1.5 µgr/kg intravenous lidocaine, F was injected with 3g/kg intravenous fentanyl and L received 1.5mg/kg intravenous lidocaine prior to endotracheal intubation. Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were assessed four times with the chi-square test: before, immediately after, 5 and 10 min after intubation. Intervention was discontinued for five people due to unsuccessful CPR. RESULTS: HR was notably different in F, L and M groups during four time courses (p<0.05). Comparison of MAP at measured points in all groups exhibited no significant difference (p>0.05). In fentanyl group both HR and MAP increased immediately after intubation, and significantly decreased 10 min after intubation (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the result of this study shows that lidocaine effectively prevents MAP and HR fluctuations following the endotracheal intubation. According to our findings, lidocaine or the combination of fentanyl and lidocaine are able to diminish hemodynamic changes and maintain the baseline conditions of the patient, thus could act more effectively than fentanyl alone.

SEROLOGICAL RESPONSE TO VACCINES IN CHILDREN WITH DIABETES.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more susceptible to infections. Deficiency in some domains of immune system could be one of the main reasons, which increases the risk of infections. The aim of this study was to assess antibody responses to vaccines in a group of children with diabetes and in the controls. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among 90 children under 15 years of age with a history of type 1 DM, referred to endocrinology clinics of university hospitals; Mofid Children Hospital and Loghman Hospital. Also, we enrolled ninety healthy children as the control group. Antibody levels against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella and hepatitis B (HB) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Among 90 patients with diabetes, 48% were male and 52% were female and in the control group 49% were male and 51% were female. Regarding IgG antibody levels against measles, there was not any significant difference between the two groups, but according to the applied kit, IgG levels against measles vaccine were positive in 62% of the diabetic and 84% of the controls. Also, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of IgG antibody level against rubella, but consistent with the applied kit, there was not any significant difference between the two the groups. CONCLUSION: Given the results of the study, no difference was found between patients with diabetes and controls who were vaccinated with pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, mumps and HB vaccines. But there are some concerns about measles and rubella vaccinations that need further investigation.