Rickets in a very low birth weight infant

A report on a case of rickets in a very low birth weight infant (VLBWI) is presented. The infant had no high-risk factors for rickets and was fed a specialized preterm formula with vitamin D supplementation (200 IU daily) by 10 days of age. Feeds were advanced so that an enteral intake of 120 cal/kg/day was achieved by the 20th day of life. Mean calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D intakes between the 20th and 61st days of life were 185 mg/kg/day, 93 mg/kg/day, and 367 IU/day, respectively. On the 62nd day of life, a diagnosis of rickets was made, and a nutrient balance study was performed. Urinary calcium excretion was low (1.3 mg/kg/day), suggesting calcium deficiency. However, retention of calcium (127 mg/kg/day) and phosphorus (76 mg/kg/day) was occurring at intrauterine rates. Thus, while calcium absorption was adequate at 10 weeks of age, the same was not true earlier in life. We suggest that there is a limiting role of calcium absorption on bone mineralization during early life in the VLBWI.     

经外周静脉置入中心导管术在低出生体重儿的应用

近几年,低出生体重儿的发生率呈逐年上升趋势,我国低出生体重儿发生率为5·87%[1]。对于低出生体重儿,从呼吸道的管理、保温、喂养、静脉输液等各方面都需要细致入微的操作,尤其静脉输液方面,反复的疼痛刺激会使其颅压增高,有诱发颅内出血的危险。经外周静脉置入中心导管(PICC)     

The white cell ratio in the very low birth weight infant.

The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of the white cell ratio of immature neutrophils (PMNs) to total (immature plus mature) PMNs as an indication of infection in the very small premature infant. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 59 premature infants less than or equal to 1,250 g admitted to our Newborn Intensive Care Unit over a one-year period who had at least one white count determined. Twenty-three were born after rupture of membranes for greater than or equal to 24 hours (PROM), 47 had a one-minute Apgar score less than or equal to 6 and 31 had a five-minute Apgar scores less than or equal to 6, 38 had respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and 4 had confirmed infection. Thirty-one of the infants had a ratio greater than or equal to .15 in the first day of life, a value which has been suggested in the literature as being abnormal and an indication to suspect sepsis. This ratio bore no statistical relationship to PROM, low Apgar scores, or RDS. We analyzed these same relationships using a ratio greater than or equal to .25, another ratio derived from data in the literature which has been said to suggest infection. No statistical correlation was found for low Apgars or RDS, but there was a significant relationship between PROM and attainment of a ratio greater than or equal to .25 (p less than .005). It is notable that 2 out of the 4 infants with infection had a ratio less than .15. We wish to cast doubt on the applicability of the currently defined WBC ratios in the literature as they apply to the infant with birth weight less than 1,250 g and emphasize the apparent effect of PROM as a factor upon these ratios.     

Fungal colonization in the very low birth weight infant

In the neonate, fungal infections result in significant morbidity and mortality. For very low birth weight (less than 1,500 g) infants, we prospectively determined the fungal colonization rate to be 26.7%. In one third of infants with fungal colonies, mucocutaneous candidiasis developed, and in 7.7%, systemic disease developed. Two thirds of the infants had colonies in the first week of life. This colonization was probably acquired during labor and delivery, because those infants who had colonization were more often delivered vaginally than by cesarean section. Early colonization, commonly from the gastrointestinal or respiratory tract, featured Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Late colonization, occurring after 2 weeks of life (15.0% of patients), was more likely to be cutaneous and was associated with either Candida parapsilosis or such poor growth that the organism could not be identified. Infants with colonization only rarely had budding yeasts (6.1%), whereas more than half of the infants with either a urinalysis showing budding yeasts or a urine culture growing fungi had invasive disease. Fungal contamination was not found on either thoracotomy tubes or catheter tips. In the low birth weight infant, fungal colonization represents a significant risk factor for cutaneous or systemic candidiasis in these infants.     

Holding the very low birth weight infant: skin-to-skin techniques

Skin-to-skin holding has been reported as a valuable intervention for preterm infants for over a decade. However, many neonatal intensive care units are not practicing this therapy and cite lack of protocols and techniques as a barrier. This article describes in detail the nursing considerations and techniques involved to successfully implement skin-to-skin holding for very low birth weight, technology-dependent infants. NICU protocols can be derived from this article.     

脐静脉联合外周中心静脉置管在极低出生体重儿中的应用

目的：研究脐静脉联合外周中心静脉置管在极低出生体重儿中的应用。方法：回顾性分析新生儿重症监护病房极低出生体重儿脐静脉联合外周中心静脉置管的应用,比较导管组（63例）与非导管组（38例）在院内感染、体重增长情况及住院天数方面的差异。结果：导管组院内感染率（17%）与非导管组感染率（24%）差异无统计学意义;导管组体重增长（11.7±2.0 g/kg?d）明显高于非导管组（10.6±2.3 g/kg?d）;导管组的住院天数（40±11 d）明显短于非导管组（45±14 d）;导管组早产儿相关并发症的发生率与非导管组的差异没有统计学意义。结论：脐静脉联合外周中心静脉置管在极低出生体重儿的应用中,早产儿体重的增长显著优于非导管组,住院天数明显缩短,而且院内感染有下降的趋势。     

极低出生体重儿高频振荡通气

高频通气(HFV)用于新生儿呼吸衰竭的治疗已20余年,积累了许多实验资料及临床经验,检索到的文献达1300余篇[1].由于通气策略的不断改进,早期HFV常作为对新生儿严重呼吸衰竭常规呼吸机治疗失败后的营救性治疗.极低出生体重(VLBW)儿行常规通气(CV)治疗呼吸衰竭时易产生多种急、慢性肺部并发症,影响治疗效果及预后.近年来在用高频振荡通气(HFOV)减少肺损伤和对肺采取保护性治疗策略方面进行了探讨,简述如下. 1 HFV的主要种类及其作用 HFV有三种类型:即高频喷射通气(HFJV)(以Bunnell公司的Lifepulse为代表),目前已较少应用;高频气流阻断(HFFI)(以Infransouics公司的Infant star为代表);HFOV(以Sensormedics公司的Sensormedics 3100A为代表).其他尚有德国Drger公司的Babylog 8000及英国的SLE 200等.前述三种呼吸机内部功能不完全相同,但通气容量均近于或小于死腔气容量.HFOV为目前广泛应用的一类,Infant star虽以HFFI形式进行通气,由于以呼气为主动,其作用也可理解为HFOV.Sensormedics 3100A通气时设高频率,吸、呼比值为1∶ 2,而Infant star行HFV时除设置高频率外尚需与CV联合应用,设2～5/min,间歇强制通气(IMV).     

Cerebrospinal fluid values in the very low birth weight infant

The cerebrospinal fluid values obtained in the first 12 weeks of life from 43 infants with birth weights of 1500 gm or less were analyzed to determine the ranges for leukocyte count and chemistry values. All these neonates had birth weights appropriate for gestational age, negative cerebrospinal fluid culture for bacteria, and no evidence of intracranial bleeding by head ultrasound examination. The mean birth weight was 1002 gm (range 550 to 1500 gm), and mean gestational age was 27 weeks (range 24 to 33 weeks). The mean cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte count was 5 cells/mm3 (range 0 to 44 cells/mm3); leukocyte differential was 7% polymorphonuclear leukocytes (range up to 66%) and 85% mononuclear leukocytes (range 13% to 100%). Additional values included protein concentration, 142 mg/dl (range 45 to 370 mg/dl); and glucose, 60 mg/dl (range 29 to 217 mg/dl). Knowledge of these measurements should help in the interpretation of the cerebrospinal fluid values of the very low birth weight infant undergoing examination of a central nervous system disorder.     

Insulin pump therapy in the very low birth weight infant

Ten critically ill, very low birth weight infants less than 30 weeks' gestation were treated with exogenous insulin administered through a continuous insulin infusion pump (Betatron II, Cardiac Pacemaker, Inc). Infants were hyperglycemic to dextrose infusions greater than 6 mg/kg/min. The blood glucose concentration became normal in all infants within two to four hours, with varying requirements for continued insulin treatment. Tolerance to intravenous dextrose increased from a mean of 7.4 mg/kg/min to 11.2 mg/kg/min with glycosuria. Energy intake increased from 49.5 calories/kg/d prior to insulin pump therapy to 70.4 calories/kg/d afterward (P less than .01) with weight gain changed from -23 g/d to +13 g/d (P less than .01). One unexpected observation was the apparent normalization of blood glucose homeostasis on higher dextrose doses among some infants after only one three- to six-hour treatment with insulin. The continuous insulin infusion pump is a flexible tool that allows insulin infusion rates to be changed as dictated by blood glucose values without altering other parenteral infusions.     

Thoracotomy for persistent bronchopleural fistula in the very low birth weight infant

Although conservative treatment is appropriate for most very low birth weight infants with bronchopleural fistulas, early surgical closure may improve survival in properly selected patients. We report our experience with successful surgical closure in 3 consecutive neonates weighing <800 g.     

Persistent central diabetes insipidus in a very low birth weight infant]

Central diabetes insipidus (DI) is extremely rare during the neonatal period. Most cases of central DI are secondary to a known aetiology. Substitutive treatment with desmopressin is effective with nasal or oral preparation, but doses are variable and must be tailored individually. We report on a case in a very low birth weight infant with an idiopathic central DI during the first month of life. He was successfully treated with oral desmopressin. The treatment was maintained after discharge with low doses desmospressin.     

Percutaneous central venous catheter use in the very low birth weight neonate

A retrospective study was carried out comparing 61 very low birth weight infants (VLBW) with percutaneous central venous catheters with 92 infants managed with peripheral cannulae. Eighteen infants developed one or more episodes of catheter-associated bacteraemia. In 70% of cases the infection was successfully treated with the line in situ. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine risk factors for bacteraemia. The duration of intravenous fluids and of intermittent positive pressure ventilation were both significant risks for infection (odds ratios and 95% confidence limits 4.4, 2.7–12.0 and 2.5, 1.0–6.1 respectively), but the presence of a silastic catheter was not an independent risk factor (odds ratio 0.6, 95% confidence limits 0.1–3.0).