Relationship Between Maternal Age and Macronutrient Content of Colostrum.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationship between maternal age and the macronutrient content of colostrum. RESEARCH AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between maternal age and human milk macronutrient content by comparing the concentrations of lactose, proteins, and lipids in the colostrum of women with younger, moderate, and advanced maternal age. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was designed to compare the macronutrient concentrations in the colostrum of women aged < 20 years, 20 to 34 years, and > 34 years (younger, moderate, and advanced maternal age, respectively; n = 33 per group). For each participant, 3 ml of colostrum was collected by manual extraction from the right breast at 10 am, 39-48 hr after delivery, and analyzed using a Miris Human Milk Analyzer. Macronutrient concentrations were compared between the groups using analysis of variance. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Mothers with moderate maternal age had a higher colostrum lipid concentration than those with younger or advanced maternal age (2.3 mg, SD = 1.4 mg vs. 1.5 mg, SD = 1.0 mg vs. 1.6 mg, SD = 0.9 mg, respectively; p = 0.007). Lactose and protein contents in the analyzed samples did not differ among the three study groups. CONCLUSION: This study lends support to the potential variation of lipids in colostrum by maternal age and suggests individual adaptation to the nutritional components of milk to the needs of the infant may be beneficial.

ROP screening with the Pictor Plus camera: a telemedicine solution for developing countries.

PURPOSE: To assess the Pictor Plus portable noncontact ophthalmic camera for use in diagnosis of severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and its feasibility for telemedicine applications, especially in developing countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2018 to December 2019 in six public neonatal care centers in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Observer 1 performed the examination with a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope and subsequently captured a digital image using the Pictor Plus camera. These images were analyzed by observers 2 and 3, who were masked to the results recorded by observer 1. RESULTS: The convenience sample was 200 premature newborns (n = 712 eyes) with a birthweight of ≤1,500 g or gestational age at birth of ≤32 weeks. The sensitivity of Pictor Plus digital images for the diagnosis of plus or pre-plus disease was 65.8% for observer 2 and 63.2% for observer 3; the specificity, 100% and 98,4%, respectively. Interobserver agreement analysis for image reading compared to observer 1 indirect ophthalmoscopy showed kappa coefficients of 0.77 (observer 2) and 0.68 (observer 3). CONCLUSIONS: In our study cohort, the Pictor Plus, a relatively low-cost camera, was effective in facilitating accurate diagnosis of ROP.

Microcephaly caused by or associated with congenital infections in the last 20 years in Brazil: a systematic review.

This systematic review aimed to identify the pathogens causing or associated with congenital microcephaly in Brazil in the last 20 years due to the lack of official information by the Health Authorities and, as a consequence the uncertainty on the real infectious etiology of congenital microcephaly. A review protocol was prepared according to the PRISMA recommendation, using the PubMed, SciELO and LILACS databases to search for references presenting original data on microcephaly caused by or associated with congenital infectious in Brazil, using the descriptors "MICROCEPHALY AND INFECTION". The search ended on 30/Jun/2020. All selected titles were read in full and analyzed independently by the three reviewers. After searching the databases, 2,389 articles were selected for title review. Of these, 109 were excluded due to duplicates and 2,236 according to the criteria defined in the review. Only 44 met the eligibility criteria and were therefore read in full. Data extraction was performed on 10 articles, all published after 2015. Seven studies were literature reviews or case series, only two were case-control, and one was a cross-sectional study. As the studies focused on the period of the ZIKV epidemic in Brazil, the cases of congenital microcephaly between 2015 and 2017 were attributed to maternal infection by this virus when it was not possible to prove the presence of other etiological agents. Among the TORCH agents, a predominance of syphilis was observed. The analyzed studies did not add consistent information about the infectious causes or association of microcephaly in Brazil outside the period of ZIKV epidemic, revealing the need for more studies on the subject.

Microcephaly caused by or associated with congenital infections in the last 20 years in Brazil: a systematic review

ABSTRACT This systematic review aimed to identify the pathogens causing or associated with congenital microcephaly in Brazil in the last 20 years due to the lack of official information by the Health Authorities and, as a consequence the uncertainty on the real infectious etiology of congenital microcephaly. A review protocol was prepared according to the PRISMA recommendation, using the PubMed, SciELO and LILACS databases to search for references presenting original data on microcephaly caused by or associated with congenital infectious in Brazil, using the descriptors "MICROCEPHALY AND INFECTION". The search ended on 30/Jun/2020. All selected titles were read in full and analyzed independently by the three reviewers. After searching the databases, 2,389 articles were selected for title review. Of these, 109 were excluded due to duplicates and 2,236 according to the criteria defined in the review. Only 44 met the eligibility criteria and were therefore read in full. Data extraction was performed on 10 articles, all published after 2015. Seven studies were literature reviews or case series, only two were case-control, and one was a cross-sectional study. As the studies focused on the period of the ZIKV epidemic in Brazil, the cases of congenital microcephaly between 2015 and 2017 were attributed to maternal infection by this virus when it was not possible to prove the presence of other etiological agents. Among the TORCH agents, a predominance of syphilis was observed. The analyzed studies did not add consistent information about the infectious causes or association of microcephaly in Brazil outside the period of ZIKV epidemic, revealing the need for more studies on the subject.

Diversity of clonal types of Klebsiella pneumoniae causing infections in intensive care neonatal patients in a large urban setting.

BACKGROUND: Klebsiella infections are reported from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) worldwide, but data on their incidence and genetic diversity remain scarce. OBJECTIVE: We determined the incidence and genetic diversity of Klebsiella infections in NICU patients in Rio de Janeiro. METHODS: This was a prospective study including newborns admitted to NICU in three hospitals during April 2005-November 2006 and March 2008-February 2009. Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and extended spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBL) were characterized. RESULTS: Klebsiella infections occurred in 38 of 3984 patients (incidence rate, 9.5/1000 admissions); 14 (37%) of these 38 newborns died. Two clonal groups, CC45 and CC1041, caused 11 cases (42% of K. pneumoniae infection). Ten (32%) of the isolates causing infection produced ESBL, 9 of which (83%) carried blaCTX-M-15, all belonging to clonal complex (CC) 45 and CC1041. Nine of these ESBL-producing isolates were confined to only one of the NICUs. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence of Klebsiella infections in NICU in Rio de Janeiro appeared to be due to a combination of frequent sporadic infections caused by multiple K. pneumoniae genotypes and small outbreaks caused by dominant multidrug-resistant clones.

Should arboviruses be the only diagnosis hypothesis in pregnant women in endemic areas presenting with a rash?

Listeria is an unusual pathogen that causes neonatal infection with high morbidity and mortality. We present the case of a premature newborn whose mother had a rash during pregnancy; the newborn had severe early sepsis because of Listeria monocytogenes and histopathologically suggestive findings of the placenta. Obstetricians and neonatologists should suspect listeriosis in cases with compatible epidemiological history, clinical features, and examination findings of the placenta.

Children Born to Mothers with Rash During Zika Virus Epidemic in Brazil: First 18 Months of Life.

OBJECTIVE: To better understand the clinical spectrum and course of congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) during the first 18 months of life of children whose mothers had rash during pregnancy. METHODS: This longitudinal observational study evaluated the clinical progress from birth until 18 months of life of children of mothers who developed rash during or up to 3 months before gestation. Maternal rash occurred from November 2015 to May 2017. The study subjects were divided into three groups: children whose mothers tested positive by RT-qPCR for Zika virus (ZIKV) (Group 1), children whose mothers tested negative by RT-qPCR for ZIKV (Group 2), and children whose mothers did not undergo any testing for ZIKV (Group 3) but tested negative for other congenital infections. RESULTS: Between April 2016 and July 2018, we studied 108 children: 43 in Group 1, 26 in Group 2 and 39 in Group 3. The majority of children were admitted into the study within 6 months of life. CZS was diagnosed in 26 children, equally distributed in Groups 1 and 3. Of 18 children with microcephaly, 6 were in Group 1 (1 postnatal) and 12 were in Group 3 (5 postnatal). Maternal rash frequency was 10 times higher during the first trimester than in the other trimesters (OR: 10.35; CI 95%: 3.52-30.41). CZS was diagnosed during the follow-up period in 14 (54%) cases. Developmental delays and motor abnormalities occurred in all children and persisted up to 18 months. Epilepsy occurred in 18 (69%) of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Infants born of mothers exposed to ZIKV during pregnancy showed progression of developmental, motor and neurologic abnormalities even if they were born asymptomatic. Continued postnatal monitoring of such newborns is necessary to preclude disability-associated complications.

Should arboviruses be the only diagnosis hypothesis in pregnant women in endemic areas presenting with a rash?

Abstract Listeria is an unusual pathogen that causes neonatal infection with high morbidity and mortality. We present the case of a premature newborn whose mother had a rash during pregnancy; the newborn had severe early sepsis because of Listeria monocytogenes and histopathologically suggestive findings of the placenta. Obstetricians and neonatologists should suspect listeriosis in cases with compatible epidemiological history, clinical features, and examination findings of the placenta.

[Evaluation of perinatal factors that influence the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants]. / Avaliação dos fatores perinatais que interferem na incidência de enterocolite necrosante em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the perinatal factors that influence the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in newborns infants (NBI) weighing less than 1,500 g. METHODS: A prospective study that analyzed all infants with birth weight (BW) less than 1,500 g born between January 2006 to December 2010 (n=183). They were divided into two groups, i.e. infants diagnosed with NEC (n=18) and infants without a diagnosis of NEC (n=165), which were compared in terms of perinatal factors that could influence the incidence of NEC. Mean data were compared by Student's t-test or nonparametric tests and percentages of categorical variables were compared by the χ² test. When the variables showed differences between groups, they were analyzed using logistic regression with the dependent variable as the presence of NEC. The statistical package used was SPSS 16.0 for Windows. RESULTS: The two groups were similar in terms of most of the clinical and demographic neonatal and maternal data, except for the presence of preeclampsia (PE), which was higher in patients whose children developed NEC (61.1 versus 35,6%). The presence of PE increased the chance of occurrence of NEC by 2.84 times (95%CI 1.0 - 7.7). CONCLUSION: The only factor that can interfere with the incidence of NEC in infants of very low birth weight was the presence of PE. Awareness of this fact can guide the perinatal team in providing more judicious care regarding the prevention of NEC in this specific population.

Avaliação dos fatores perinatais que interferem na incidência de enterocolite necrosante em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso / Evaluation of perinatal factors that influence the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os fatores perinatais que interferem na incidência de enterocolite necrosante (ECN) em recém-nascidos (RN) com peso menor que 1.500 g. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo no qual foram analisados todos os RN com peso de nascimento (PN) menor que 1.500 g nascidos no período de janeiro de 2006 a dezembro de 2010 (n=183). Estes foram divididos em dois grupos, os que apresentaram ENC (n=18) e os que não apresentaram ECN (n=165), e foram comparados quanto aos fatores perinatais que pudessem influenciar na incidência de ECN. As médias das variáveis foram comparadas pelo Teste t de Student ou testes não paramétricos, e os percentuais das variáveis categóricas foram comparados por meio do teste do χ². Quando as variáveis se apresentaram diferentes entre os grupos, foram analisadas por meio de regressão logística, tendo como variável dependente a presença de ECN. O pacote estatístico utilizado foi o SPSS 16.0 for Windows. RESULTADOS: Os dois grupos foram semelhantes em relação à maioria das características clínicas e dados demográficos, tanto neonatais quanto maternos, exceto pela presença de pré-eclampsia (PE), mais frequente entre as gestantes cujos filhos evoluíram com ECN (61,1 versus 35,6%). A presença de PE aumentou a chance de ocorrência de ECN em 2,84 vezes (IC95% 1,04 - 7,7). CONCLUSÃO: O único fator materno que se mostrou relevante para a incidência de ECN nos RN de muito baixo peso avaliados foi a presença de PE. O conhecimento desse fato pode direcionar a equipe perinatal a um cuidado mais criterioso em relação à prevenção de ECN nesta população específica.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the perinatal factors that influence the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in newborns infants (NBI) weighing less than 1,500 g. METHODS: A prospective study that analyzed all infants with birth weight (BW) less than 1,500 g born between January 2006 to December 2010 (n=183). They were divided into two groups, i.e. infants diagnosed with NEC (n=18) and infants without a diagnosis of NEC (n=165), which were compared in terms of perinatal factors that could influence the incidence of NEC. Mean data were compared by Student's t-test or nonparametric tests and percentages of categorical variables were compared by the χ² test. When the variables showed differences between groups, they were analyzed using logistic regression with the dependent variable as the presence of NEC. The statistical package used was SPSS 16.0 for Windows. RESULTS: The two groups were similar in terms of most of the clinical and demographic neonatal and maternal data, except for the presence of preeclampsia (PE), which was higher in patients whose children developed NEC (61.1 versus 35,6%). The presence of PE increased the chance of occurrence of NEC by 2.84 times (95%CI 1.0 - 7.7). CONCLUSION: The only factor that can interfere with the incidence of NEC in infants of very low birth weight was the presence of PE. Awareness of this fact can guide the perinatal team in providing more judicious care regarding the prevention of NEC in this specific population.