Pulmonary Complications in Premature Infants Using a Beractant or Poractant for Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Premature infants are at the risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Beractants and poractants are two commonly used natural surfactants. This retrospective cohort study aims to compare the incidence of pulmonary complications between beractant and poractant treatment groups. STUDY DESIGN: This study evaluated 29 patients treated with beractant and 49 patients treated with poractant. The primary outcome was the incidence of air leak syndrome (ALS) and pulmonary hemorrhage. Secondary outcomes included mortality and pulmonary outcomes, such as mechanical ventilation duration, oxygen dependence duration, fraction of inspired oxygen, and mean airway pressure (MAP) requirement. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors for significant primary outcomes. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the demographics between the two groups. A significantly higher incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage was observed in the poractant group (14.3 vs. 0.0%, p = 0.038). The difference in the incidence of ALS between the groups was insignificant (p = 0.536). Logistic regression for the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage identified coagulopathy as the only significant independent risk factor (odds ratio 39.855, 95% confidence interval [2.912-545.537]; p = 0.006). Secondary outcomes in both treatment groups were similar, except that patients in the poractant group had a higher MAP before surfactant therapy (9 vs. 8 cmH2O, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed a significantly higher incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage in the poractant group. Coagulopathy was identified as an independent risk factor for pulmonary hemorrhage. Future long-term prospective studies are essential to establish the temporal and causal relationships between coagulopathy and pulmonary hemorrhage in premature infants receiving surfactant therapy for RDS; hence, there is the need for a screening protocol before surfactant administration. KEY POINTS: · A higher incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage was found in the poractant group.. · Coagulopathy was the only significant risk factor that was related to the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage.. · A screening protocol might be useful to avoid pulmonary hemorrhage in infants receiving surfactant..

Prospective risk of stillbirth and neonatal complications for monochorionic diamniotic and dichorionic diamniotic twins after 24 weeks of gestation.

INTRODUCTION: Our study compared the prospective risks of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), neonatal death (NND), perinatal death (PND), and neonatal morbidities in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) and dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included twin pregnancies who had antenatal care and delivery in a public hospital from 2011 to 2018. Exclusion criteria included monoamnionicity, one/both twin miscarriage, twin-twin transfusion syndrome, or lethal congenital abnormalities. All twins were managed in multiple pregnancy clinic with standardized protocols. Gestational age-specific IUFD, NND, PND, and neonatal morbidity rates were compared according to chorionicity. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-eight MCDA and 1282 DCDA twins were included. MCDA twins had higher risks of PND (1.9% vs. 0.7% in DCDA twins, p = 0.05), composite neonatal morbidity (p = 0.01), preterm delivery (p < 0.01), and low birth weight (p < 0.01). The prospective risk of IUFD was 0.6% and 0.4% for MCDA and DCDA twins, respectively after 34 weeks' gestation. No NND occurred among deliveries after 30 weeks. The risk of neonatal morbidity of MCDA twins fell from 22.7% at 34 weeks to 2.7% at 37 weeks (p < 0.01). For DCDA twins, the risk of morbidity fell insignificantly from 36 to 38 weeks (4.0% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.60). Logistic regression analysis suggested that the increased risk of perinatal morbidities was related to the higher rate of preterm delivery in MCDA twins rather than chorionicity. CONCLUSION: With close fetal monitoring, the risk of late IUFD in twin pregnancies without major complications is low. Perinatal morbidity can be minimized by avoiding late preterm deliveries in twin pregnancies.

Oral sildenafil for treatment of severe pulmonary hypertension in an infant.

We report the use of oral sildenafil in a 5-month-old preterm infant with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary arterial hypertension refractory to inhaled nitric oxide treatment, maximal ventilatory support and conventional vasodilator therapy. Sildenafil was prepared as a liquid suspension by the method of trituration and administered via an orogastric tube to the patient. Forty-eight hours after sildenafil treatment, echocardiography revealed that the tricuspid incompetence was substantially diminished and the contractility of both ventricles improved, indicating a marked reduction in pulmonary arterial pressure. Oral sildenafil treatment was continued for 6 months until complete resolution of pulmonary arterial hypertension, and oxygen supplement was weaned off. There was no adverse effect during the treatment period. Oral sildenafil may be useful in reducing pulmonary vascular resistance and can be considered for treatment of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to bronchopulmonary dysplasia.