Exploring predisposing factors of hearing loss in prematurely born children: A nationwide case-control study.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a nationwide population-based case-control study to analyse potential predisposing factors for hearing loss (HL) that present during the fetal, perinatal, and postnatal periods in prematurely born children. METHODS: This study enrolled 21,576 children born at < 37 weeks of gestation; 3,596 with HL and 17,980 with normal hearing born between 2002 and 2015, matched for sex, age at diagnosis, and enrollment time. Data were abstracted from the concatenation of three nationwide databases for overall risk factors till the diagnosis of HL. RESULTS: Maternal HL, maternal diabetes, particularly type 1 diabetes mellitus, and at or before 32 weeks of gestation were the major obstetric risk factors for HL. Prematurely born children who were born via cesarean section and received a combination of antenatal steroids and magnesium sulfate exhibited a significantly reduced risk of developing HL. Ear malformation was a critical predictor for HL. The major postnatal risk factors included seizure and ototoxic drugs use. Premature infants diagnosed with more than 1 diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and intracerebral hemorrhage were at an increased risk of developing HL. Congenital CMV infection and recurrent acute otitis were also independent postnatal factors for HL in prematurely born children. CONCLUSION: To reduce the incidence of childhood HL in prematurely born children, aggressive management of premature birth-related consequences and treatable causes and longitudinal audiological follow-up with early detection and adequate intervention are crucial.

Long-Term Pulmonary and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Meconium Aspiration Syndrome Affected Infants: A Retrospective National Population-Based Study in Taiwan.

INTRODUCTION: Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) may cause severe pulmonary and neurologic injuries in affected infants after birth, leading to long-term adverse pulmonary or neurodevelopmental outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective population-based cohort study enrolled 1,554,069 mother-child pairs between 2004 and 2014. A total of 8,049 infants were in the MAS-affected group, whereas 1,546,020 were in the healthy control group. Children were followed up for at least 3 years. According to respiratory support, MAS was classified as mild, moderate, and severe. With the healthy control group as the reference, the associations between MAS severity and adverse pulmonary outcomes (hospital admission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of hospital stay, or invasive ventilator support during admission related to pulmonary problem) or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes (cerebral palsy, needs for rehabilitation, visual impairment, or hearing impairment) were accessed. RESULTS: MAS-affected infants had a higher risk of hospital and ICU admission and longer length of hospital stay, regardless of severity. Infants with severe MAS had a higher risk of invasive ventilator support during re-admission (odds ratio: 17.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.70-39.75, p < 0.001). Moderate (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.30-2.13, p < 0.001) and severe (HR: 4.94, 95% CI: 4.94-7.11, p < 0.001) MAS groups had a higher risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome, and the statistical significance remained remarkable in severe MAS group after adjusting for covariates (adjusted HR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.54-3.38, p < 0.001) Conclusions: Adverse pulmonary or neurodevelopmental outcomes could occur in MAS-affected infants at birth. Close monitoring and follow-up of MAS-affected infants are warranted.

Neonatal jaundice is associated with increased risks of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract and concomitant urinary tract infection.

The link between neonatal jaundice and urinary tract infection (UTI) remains debated, with congenital kidney and urinary tract anomalies (CAKUT) potentially playing a role. This population-based study aimed to analyze the correlations between neonatal jaundice, CAKUT, and concomitant UTI. The study cohort consisted of 2,078,122 live births from 2004 to 2014. We linked several population-based datasets in Taiwan to identify infants with unexplained neonatal jaundice and their mothers. The primary outcome was the rate of CAKUT occurring within 3 years after delivery, and the presence of concomitant UTI during neonatal jaundice hospitalization. Infants with neonatal jaundice had a significantly higher risk of CAKUT (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-1.39) during early childhood. Among the subtypes of CAKUT, obstructive uropathy, vesicoureteral reflux and other CAKUT were associated with an increased risk of neonatal jaundice. Infants who underwent intensive phototherapy, had a late diagnosis (> 14 days of postnatal age) or underwent a prolonged duration of phototherapy (> 3 days) exhibited a higher risk of concomitant UTI compared to other infants with jaundice. Our findings indicate a notable association between neonatal jaundice and increased risks of UTIs in the context of CAKUT. This study underscore the importance of vigilant monitoring and timely interventions for neonates presenting with jaundice, while acknowledging the complexity and variability in the progression of CAKUT and its potential connection to UTIs.

Growth of Very Preterm Infants in a Low-Resourced Rural Setting after Affiliation with a Human Milk Bank.

The extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) of very preterm infants has been associated with long-term complications and neurodevelopmental problems. EUGR has been reported at higher rates in low resource settings. There is limited research investigating how metropolitan human milk banks contribute to the growth outcomes of very preterm infants cared in rural areas. The setting of this study is located at a rural county in Taiwan and affiliated with the Taiwan Southern Human Milk Bank. Donor human milk was provided through a novel supplemental system. A renewal nutritional protocol was initiated as a quality improvement project after the affiliated program. This study aimed to compare the clinical morbidities and growth outcome at term equivalent age (TEA) of preterm infants less than 33 weeks of gestational age before (Epoch-I, July 2015-June 2018, n = 40) and after the new implementation (Epoch-II, July 2018-December 2020, n = 42). The Epoch-II group significantly increased in bodyweight z-score at TEA ((-0.02 ± 1.00) versus Epoch-I group (-0.84 ± 1.08), p = 0.002). In multivariate regression models, the statistical difference between two epochs in bodyweight z-score changes from birth to TEA was still noted. Modern human milk banks may facilitate the nutritional protocol renewal in rural areas and improve the growth outcomes of very preterm infants cared for. Establishing more distribution sites of milk banks should be encouraged.

A 20-cm cut umbilical cord milking may not benefit the preterm infants < 30 week's gestation: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To evaluate whether a shorter length (20 cm) of C-UCM has potential benefits, compared to immediate cord clamping (ICC), in very preterm babies. METHODS: Inborn preterm infants less than 30 weeks of gestational age (GA) were randomly assigned to the 20-cm C-UMC and ICC groups. The primary outcome was the need for packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion before the 21st day of life. The secondary outcomes were short- and long-term outcomes related to premature birth. RESULTS: Seventy-six neonates were randomized to the two groups. GA were 27.2 ± 1.8 and 27.5 ± 1.7 weeks (p = 0.389) and birth weights were 987 ± 269 and 1023 ± 313 g (p = 0.601) in the 20-cm C-UCM and ICC groups, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the need for pRBC transfusion before the 21st day of life (59.4% versus 71.8%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.311, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.090-1.079). An increased prevalence of late-onset sepsis was observed in the 20-cm C-UCM group compared to the ICC group (21.6% versus 5.1%, aOR 5.434, 95% CI 1.033-23.580). The mortality rates were 13.5% and 2.6% in the 20-cm C-UCM and ICC groups, respectively (aOR 5.339, 95% CI 0.563-50.626). The neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of corrected age between the groups were also not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: A 20-cm C-UCM showed no effect on reducing the incidence of pRBC transfusion in preterm babies with GA less than 30 weeks compared with ICC in this small-scale randomized controlled trial.

Bilateral vocal fold immobility in a single tertiary hospital in northern Taiwan: A 23-year retrospective review.

To determine the natural history of patient with bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI), and to identify the factors or predictors associated with the tracheostomy and duration of cannulation for those who require tracheostomy.A retrospective review was carried out at a single tertiary referral center over a 23-year period of infants less than 1 year old who presented with BVFI. All information related to sex, etiology, gestational age at birth, vocal fold (VF) position at diagnosis, presence of concomitant airway disease, age at attainment of VF movement, age at decannulation, and current tracheostomy status were recorded to perform descriptive and comparative analyses.Forty-one patients were enrolled, and the tracheostomy rate was 80.5% (33/41). Those with a median VF position had a higher rate of tracheostomy in comparison with those with a paramedian VF position (P = .003). Among patients who underwent tracheostomy, 77.4% (24/31) were eventually decannulated. The median duration of cannulation was 4.4 years (range: 0.8 - 10.7 years). Those who were found to have attainment of VF movement at less than 1-year-old had a shorter duration of cannulation than others (mean: 1.9 years vs 5.2 years, P < .001). The mortality rate of those patients who received tracheostomy was 9.7% (3/31).Although a high tracheostomy rate was found in BVFI patients, most of them underwent decannulation. The earlier attainment of VF movement is achieved, the shorter duration of cannulation is required. This information is important for physicians while following up BVFI patients who have undergone tracheostomy.