Prediction of respiratory distress syndrome by the microbubble stability test on gastric aspirates in newborns of less than 32 weeks' gestation

AIM: There is a need for a rapid method to identify infants who will develop respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) soon after birth, to allow early treatment of affected infants with surfactant. The microbubble stability test (MST) may be one such method, but clinical experience is sparse. METHODS: The MST was performed on gastric aspirates from 188 infants with a mean gestational age of 29 (range 23-31) wk. RESULTS: 87 infants developed moderate to severe RDS, corresponding to a prevalence of 46%. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for identification of infants with moderate to severe RDS were determined for the average diameter of bubbles, the proportion of microbubbles with different diameters and the total number of microbubbles. The proportion of microbubbles with diameters <20 or 25 microm gave the best prediction, with a sensitivity of 78-79%, a specificity of 57-58%, a positive predictive value of 62% and a negative predictive value of 76%. Early treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure probably mitigated the development of RDS in some infants with a low-degree surfactant deficiency and this may explain the relatively low specificity. CONCLUSION: In infants of <32 wk gestation RDS can be predicted by computerized image analysis of the size distribution of microbubbles generated in gastric aspirates.     

Actuarial survival in the premature infant less than 30 weeks' gestation

OBJECTIVE: Because survival from admission to discharge does not provide parents and physicians information about future life expectancy in the premature neonate, we characterized the actuarial survival, defined as the future life expectancy from a given postnatal age, in a large inborn population of premature infants < 30 weeks' gestation. STUDY DESIGN: We determined daily actuarial survival of 1925 inborn infants (23 to 29 weeks' gestation) admitted to the Baylor Affiliated Nurseries from July 1986 through December 1994, stratified by 100-g birth weight and by 1-week gestational-age intervals. RESULTS: In the 501- to 600-g birth weight stratum, actuarial survival improved from 31% at birth, to 61% on day of life 7, and then to 75% on day of life 28; in the 901- to 1000-g birth weight stratum, actuarial survival improved from 88%, to 94%, and then to 98% throughout the same times, respectively. Similar trends were obtained when data were stratified by gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: Survival in the smallest infants improves dramatically during the first few days of life, but there is a significant risk for late death in the smallest of these infants.     

Brain haemodynamic effects of nasal continuous airway pressure in preterm infants of less than 30 weeks' gestation

AIM: To evaluate the hypothesis that increasing levels of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) may decrease cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral oxygenation in infants with gestational age (GA) less than 30 weeks. METHODS: We prospectively studied a cohort of preterm infants treated with NCPAP using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The pressure limit of NCPAP was set at 2, 4, 6 and again 2 cm H(2)O for 30 min. RESULTS: Changes of pressure levels were not followed by significant changes of oxygenated haemoglobin (O(2)Hb), deoxygenated haemoglobin (HHb), cerebral intravascular oxygenation (HbD), oxidized-reduced cytochrome aa3 (CtOx), tissue oxygenation index (TOI), tissue haemoglobin index (THI) and cerebral blood volume (DeltaCBV). CONCLUSION: NCPAP at 2-6 cm H(2)O pressure levels did not affect cerebral oxygenation and CBV. These findings are reassuring and confirm the safety of NCPAP in preterm infants with GA less than 30 weeks.     

Birth weight of Italian infants of 30 weeks' gestation or less

Mean birth weights and percentile charts are given for 161 singleton infants born between 24 and 30 weeks' gestation at the 2nd School of Medicine of Naples. This chart is the first for a Mediterranean population. Our data are similar to those reported from a United Kingdom population and from Japan, suggesting that ethnic differences in birth weight at this gestational age are unimportant.     

Re-hospitalization in infants younger than 29 weeks' gestation in the EPIPAGE cohort

AIM: To estimate the re-hospitalization rate of extremely preterm children during infancy and associated factors after the recent improvement in survival rates. METHOD: The cohort included all children born before 29 wk of gestation in nine French regions in 1997. All admissions between discharge from initial hospitalization and 9 mo after birth were considered. Factors studied included the child's characteristics at birth and during neonatal hospitalization, risk factors for infection after discharge and parents' socio-demographic characteristics. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for re-hospitalization for all reasons and for respiratory disorders were obtained from logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of the 376 children, 178 were re-admitted at least once (47.3%; 95% CI: 42.3-52.4). Fifty-five percent of the hospitalized children were admitted at least once for respiratory disorders. The re-hospitalization rate was higher for children who had had chronic lung disease (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3-3.7), those initially discharged between August and October (aOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2-5.1) or between November and January (aOR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.5-6.8), and children living with other children under six (aOR: 3.4; 95 %CI: 1.6-7.5). Re-hospitalizations were associated with neither gestational age nor the duration of neonatal hospitalization. Adjusted odds ratios for re-hospitalization for respiratory tract disorders were very similar to those for the overall hospitalizations. CONCLUSION: Infants born before 29 wk have a very high risk of re-hospitalization. The associated factors can help define high-risk groups at discharge from the neonatal unit who need special surveillance.     

Temperament at 9 months of very preterm infants born at less than 29 weeks' gestation: the Epipage study

The objective was to determine whether the temperament of very preterm singleton infants born before 29 weeks' gestation differs from their full-term counterparts at 9 months and to examine the influence of neurological sequelae on temperament in very preterm infants. The parents of very preterm infants from nine French regions and a group of full-term infants were sent the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire when the infants were 9 months old. The analysis included 266 singleton very preterm infants from the same regions born before 29 weeks' gestation and 546 full-term singleton infants. There were no significant differences for the Difficult, Unadaptable, and Unpredictable scales between very premature and term infants. Very preterm infants had a slightly higher Dull scale score than term infants. After taking into account mother's age, duration of hospitalization, and cerebral lesions found on neonatal ultrasound scans, this difference was no longer significant. Among very premature infants, those with cerebral lesions as diagnosed by neonatal ultrasound scan were rated higher on the Dull and Unadaptable scales. Delays in development at 9 months were also related to higher Dull and Unpredictable scales. These data suggest that prematurity does not affect temperament ratings at 9 months as assessed by the mother. However, very preterm infants with neurological insults, documented by the neonatal cerebral ultrasound or by a delay in development, are rated higher by their mothers on the Dull, Unadaptable, and Unpredictable scales.     

The consequences for society of intensive care for babies born at less than 30 weeks' gestation

Over the last two decades survival has significantly increased for infants who have been born prematurely. Although long term neurodevelopmental, educational and behavioural problems are common, and are increasingly so with decreasing gestational age at birth, a limited amount of long term data suggest that quality of later life is good and a high proportion of these infants go on to lead lives that are fulfilling both to themselves and to society. The short and long term costs of providing care for this group of infants are high, but the great majority of these costs are incurred by infants who are not extremely preterm. It is not uncommon to hear a proposition that care should not be offered to the most immature infants and in at least one country in Western Europe there appears to be a clear national policy to this end. This review discusses the implications for society of such decisions.     

Preterm infants born at less than 31 weeks' gestation have improved growth in cycled light compared with continuous near darkness

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to evaluate the benefits of cycled light (CL) versus near darkness (ND) on health in preterm infants born at <31 weeks' gestational age. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, interventional study comparing infants receiving (1) CL from birth, (2) CL at 32 weeks' postconceptional age (PCA), and (3) CL at 36 weeks' PCA in transition for discharge home. Statistical significance was assessed with segmented mixed general linear models, analysis of covariance, general estimating equations, chi(2), and Fisher's exact procedure. RESULTS: Infants receiving CL at birth and 32 weeks' PCA gained weight faster than infants not receiving CL until 36 weeks' PCA. There were no differences among the groups in length of hospitalization stay or number of ventilator days, but the power was low for these variables. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that CL has significant weight gain benefits over ND, and there are no short-term advantages of ND over cycled light for health in preterm infants.     

Hypernatraemia in preterm infants born at less than 27 weeks gestation

AIMS: To study the incidence of hypernatraemia (plasma sodium >145 mmol/L), identify predisposing factors to and associated complications of hypernatraemia in preterm infants born less than 27 weeks gestation in the first 5 days of life. METHODS: Preterm infants less than 27 week gestation over an 18-month period were studied by retrospective analysis of patient records. Data were collected on gestation, birthweight, sex, antenatal steroid use, phototherapy, incubator humidity, time of transfer to incubator, plasma sodium, urea and creatinine. Actual fluid and sodium intake was calculated for the first 5 days of life. Data were collected on chronic lung disease, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular haemorrhage, necrotising enterocolitis and death. RESULTS: In this study 46 (69.7%) of 66 infants studied developed hypernatraemia (>145 mmol/L), occurring most frequently between 24 and 48 h of age. The median gestation of hypernatraemic babies was significantly lower. There was no significant difference in median birthweight, or factors associated with increased insensible water loss between the hypernatraemic and the non-hypernatraemic groups. Fluid intake was significantly higher on days 2, 3 and 4 in the hypernatraemic group. There was no difference in sodium intake between the two groups. More hypernatraemic babies compared with controls developed chronic lung disease, patent ductus arteriosus, significant intraventricular haemorrhage, necrotising enterocolitis and died, but was not significant. CONCLUSION: Hypernatraemia occurs commonly in preterm infants less than 27 weeks gestation and was not associated with significant morbidity. The more immature infants developed hypernatraemia and all cases resolved after increasing fluid intake.     

Blood pressure fluctuation and intraventricular hemorrhage in the preterm infant of less than 31 weeks' gestation

A total of 22 infants of less than 31 weeks' gestation who were mechanically ventilated for a minimum of 12 hours for respiratory distress syndrome were studied. The coefficient of variation of direct systolic pressure was measured each minute from six to 36 hours of age and averaged per hour after birth with a microcomputer-based system of data collection. At the start of recording, the ultrasound scan appeared normal in each infant, but intraventricular hemorrhage developed in ten infants less than 36 hours of age. Twelve infants remained free of intraventricular hemorrhages. BP fluctuation was greater for a longer proportion of measured time in infants in whom intraventricular hemorrhage did not develop compared with those in whom it did develop P less than .05). These findings do not support a causal relationship between BP fluctuation and intraventricular hemorrhage within the range of coefficient of variation studied.     

中国多中心新生儿重症监护室胎龄小于34周早产儿出院前视网膜病变发生率的横断面调查

目的调查中国NICU胎龄34周早产儿视网膜病变(ROP)发生率。方法数据来源于"基于证据的质量改进方法降低我国新生儿重症监护室院内感染发生率的整群随机对照试验"所建立的早产儿临床数据库,收集25家三级NICU 2015年5月1日至2018年4月30日住院期间接受积极治疗、转出NICU或死亡前至少完成1次ROP筛查的胎龄34周早产儿的临床资料,分析不同胎龄及出生体重早产儿的ROP发生率、分期及治疗方式,并比较各单位间的差异。结果14 015例34周的早产儿在出院前或死亡前至少进行了1次ROP筛查,筛查阳性2 304例(16.4%),其中ROP1期1 092例(7.8%),ROP2期1 004例(7.2%),ROP 3～5期208例(1.5%)。胎龄28周早产儿ROP发生率为56.5%(578/1 023),3～5期ROP发生率为9.6%(98/1 023)。出生体重1 000 g和1 000～1 499 g早产儿ROP发生率分别为54.2%(465/858)和22.1%(1 411/6 381),3～5期ROP发生率分别为9.6%(82/858)和1.5%(95/6 381)。2 304例ROP早产儿在出院前188例(8.2%)接受治疗,其中眼内药物注射117例。各单位间ROP发生率存在显著差异。结论胎龄34周的早产儿的ROP发生率为16.4%,8.2%的ROP患儿接受治疗,其中62%采用玻璃体内注药,不同单位间ROP发生率差异显著。     

Postnatal age at time of death in infants born at 24-32 weeks' gestation

Medical records of all 483 infants live-born at 24-32 weeks' gestation in our hospital during the years 1982-86 were reviewed in order to determine postnatal age at time of death for those who died in the first year after birth. Twenty-seven died from immaturity without receiving intensive care and 11 died from lethal congenital malformations. Eighty (18%) of the remaining 445 who received intensive care died: 31% on day 1, 45% on days 2-7, 12% on days 8-28 and 11% on days 29-365. The neonatal mortality rate for those receiving intensive care was 160/1000, and the postneonatal mortality rate was 20/1000. Delayed mortality was most common in infants of 26-27 weeks' gestation, with 20% (five) of their deaths occurring after 28 days. In each gestational age range, the majority of hospital admission days were occupied by survivors (24-25 weeks = 62%; 26-27 weeks = 91%; 28-29 weeks = 91%; 30-32 weeks = 99%) rather than non-survivors. Whilst postneonatal mortality is a significant concern, these data suggest that if infants born at less than 33 weeks' gestation are offered intensive care and survive the early neonatal period, the long-term outcome is more likely to be survival rather than delayed death. Furthermore, the majority of hospital admission days invested in such infants involves those who will be discharged home rather than those who will not.