Impact of Early- and High-Dose Caffeine on the Cerebellum Development in Newborn Rats.

INTRODUCTION: Preterm newborns struggle with maintaining an adequate respiratory pattern; early caffeine administration is suggested to stimulate respiration and reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia, however, its consequences on the immature cerebellum remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the impact of early caffeine administration, at standard and high doses, accompanied by supplemental oxygen on cerebellar development in an experimental model. METHODS: Five groups of Wistar pups were formed (n = 8 offspring/group): (a) negative control: no intervention; (b) placebo: pups remaining from birth until the 7th day of life (DOL) exposed to fractional inspired oxygen (FiO2) 45%, resembling preterm infant condition and as a placebo, 0.2 mL oral 5% dextrose, from the first DOL until the 14th DOL; (c) caffeine group: oral caffeine, 1st DOL 20 mg/kg, and from 2nd to 14th DOL, 5 mg/kg (standard dose); (d) caffeine at the standard dose, plus O2: during the first 7 DOLs (FiO2: 45%); (e) caffeine: 40 mg/kg in the first DOL, 10 mg/kg the next 14 DOLs, plus O2 in the first 7 DOLs (FiO2: 45%). Subjects were sacrificed on their 15th DOL; measurements were taken from the cerebellum, specifically the external granular layer (EGL) and molecular layer (ML), with quantification of cell migration. RESULTS: Caffeine administration in pups resulted in a delay in cerebellum development based on persistent transitional EGL cells; this finding was exacerbated in groups exposed to caffeine plus O2, as evident from the thicker EGL. The negative control group showed near-complete cell migration with a thicker ML and a significantly smaller EGL. CONCLUSIONS: Early caffeine administration in newborn rats disrupts cerebellar cortex cell processes and connectivity pathways, with exacerbated effects in groups receiving caffeine plus O2.

CCHD Screening Implementation Efforts in Latin American Countries by the Ibero American Society of Neonatology (SIBEN).

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is among the four most common causes of infant mortality in Latin America. Pulse oximetry screening (POS) is useful for early diagnosis and improved outcomes of critical CHD. Here, we describe POS implementation efforts in Latin American countries guided and/or coordinated by the Ibero American Society of Neonatology (SIBEN), as well as the unique challenges that are faced for universal implementation. SIBEN collaborates to improve the neonatal quality of care and outcomes. A few years ago, a Clinical Consensus on POS was finalized. Since then, we have participated in 12 Latin American countries to educate neonatal nurses and neonatologists on POS and to help with its implementation. The findings reveal that despite wide disparities in care that exist between and within countries, and the difficulties and challenges in implementing POS, significant progress has been made. We conclude that universal POS is not easy to implement in Latin America but, when executed, has not only been of significant value for babies with CHD, but also for many with other hypoxemic conditions. The successful and universal implementation of POS in the future is essential for reducing the mortality associated with CHD and other hypoxemic conditions and will ultimately lead to the survival of many more Latin American babies. POS saves newborns' lives in Latin America.

Safe oxygen saturation targeting and monitoring in preterm infants: can we avoid hypoxia and hyperoxia?

UNLABELLED: Oxygen is a neonatal health hazard that should be avoided in clinical practice. In this review, an international team of neonatologists and nurses assessed oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) targeting in preterm infants and evaluated the potential weaknesses of randomised clinical trials. CONCLUSION: SpO2 of 85-89% can increase mortality and 91-95% can cause hyperoxia and ill effects. Neither of these ranges can be recommended, and wider intermediate targets, such as 87-94% or 88-94%, may be safer.

Estudio comparativo de dosis baja de indometacina profiláctica para hemorragia subependimaria/intraventricular en neonatos pretérmino con ventilación mecánica / Low doses indomethacin for prevention of intraventricular hemorrhage in the preterm newborn baby with mechanical ventilation: final report of a randomized

Se reportan los resultados finales de un estudio prospectivo doble ciego, aplicado para evaluar la utilidad de indometacina endovenosa profiláctica versus placebo (solución fisiológica) en la prevención de la hemorragia subependimaria/intraventricular (HSE/IV) realizado en neonatos pretérmino, de 28 a 36 semanas de gestación, que requirieron ventilación mecánica convencional y que a su ingreso a la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales no presentaban HSE/IV evaluada por ultrasonido. De un total de 12,028 recién nacidos, se estudiaron 80 casos, 40 para el grupo control y 40 para el grupo problema. Ambos grupos fueron homogéneos para: peso, sexo, edad gestacional, vía de nacimiento, apgar y tiempo de ruptura de membranas. En morbilidad y mortalidad neonatal se presentó con mayor frecuencia el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria, sepsis e hiperbilirrubinemia multifactorial. El grupo placebo tuvo mayor presentación de persistencia de conducto arterioso (PCA) (P<0.01) y mayor mortalidad (P<0.01). No se observaron diferencias en las variables ventilatorias, hemodinámicas ni de gases arteriales. El grupo con indometacina presentó diferencias en las cifras de glucosa, plaquetas y densidad urinaria; sin embargo, los resultados nunca excedieron las variantes normales. No se encontró diferencia en la frecuencia de la HSE/IV pero se observó mayor grado de severidad para el grupo placebo (P<0.01). Se concluye que la administración de indometacina en las primeras 12 horas de vida y con las dosis empleadas no proviene la HSE/IV, pero disminuye la severidad de la misma. Por otro lado, también se asoció menor mortalidad y menor frecuencia de PCA