Online Calculator to Improve Counseling of Short-Term Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Outcomes at Extremely Low Gestational Age (23-28 Weeks).

Objective Extremely low gestational age (ELGA) infants are at high risk of perinatal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Accurate and relevant data are essential for developing a health care plan and providing realistic estimates of infants' outcomes. Study Design Retrospective analysis of all infants delivered between 23(0/7) and 28(6/7) weeks' gestation over 11 years at a single center. Using logistic regression analysis, gestational age (GA)-specific mortality and morbidity rates, and the effects of gender, antenatal corticosteroids, multiple gestation, and birth weight (BW) were determined. Results Of the 766 study infants, 644 (84.1%) were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, of which 502 (75.8%) survived to discharge. GA, antenatal corticosteroids, and BW were significant predictors of survival (GA: odds ratio [OR] = 1.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.64-2.04; corticosteroids: OR = 7.62, 95% CI = 5.19-11.18; BW: OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.44-1.69). Increasing BW correlated with a decreasing mortality rate. Conclusion This study provides recent outcome data of ELGA infants delivered at a tertiary level center. The results have been translated into an online counseling tool (http://murmuring-brook-6600.herokuapp.com/ELGA.html).

Improvement of cardiac function by placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells does not require permanent engraftment and is independent of the insulin signaling pathway.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in a mouse model of myocardial infarction (MI). Since MSCs can be obtained from two different regions of the human term placenta (chorionic plate or villi), cells obtained from both these regions were compared so that the best candidate for cell therapy could be selected. METHODS: For the in vitro studies, chorionic plate MSCs (cp-MSCs) and chorionic villi MSCs (cv-MSCs) were extensively characterized for their genetic stability, clonogenic and differentiation potential, gene expression, and immunophenotype. For the in vivo studies, C57Bl/6 mice were submitted to MI and, after 21 days, received weekly intramyocardial injections of cp-MSCs for 3 weeks. Cells were also stably transduced with a viral construct expressing luciferase, under the control of the murine stem cell virus (MSCV) promoter, and were used in a bioluminescence assay. The expression of genes associated with the insulin signaling pathway was analyzed in the cardiac tissue from cp-MSCs and placebo groups. RESULTS: Morphology, differentiation, immunophenotype, and proliferation were quite similar between these cells. However, cp-MSCs had a greater clonogenic potential and higher expression of genes related to cell cycle progression and genome stability. Therefore, we considered that the chorionic plate was preferable to the chorionic villi for the isolation of MSCs. Sixty days after MI, cell-treated mice had a significant increase in ejection fraction and a reduction in end-systolic volume. This improvement was not caused by a reduction in infarct size. In addition, tracking of cp-MSCs transduced with luciferase revealed that cells remained in the heart for 4 days after the first injection but that the survival period was reduced after the second and third injections. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed similar expression of genes involved in the insulin signaling pathway when comparing cell-treated and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement of cardiac function by cp-MSCs did not require permanent engraftment and was not mediated by the insulin signaling pathway.

Human cord blood transplantation in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage: functional outcome related to neuroprotection in the striatum.

Human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (HUCB) have been shown to have a therapeutic role in different models of central nervous system (CNS) damage, including stroke. We evaluated the possible therapeutic potential of HUCB in P7 rats submitted to the Rice-Vannucci model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain damage. Our results demonstrated that intraperitoneal transplantation of HUCB, 3 h after the HI insult, resulted in better performance in two developmental sensorimotor reflexes, in the first week after the injury. We also showed a neuroprotective effect in the striatum, and a decrease in the number of activated microglial cells in the cerebral cortex of treated animals. We suggest that HUCB transplantation might rescue striatal neurons from cell death after a neonatal HI injury resulting in better functional recovery.

Doppler and birth weight Z score: predictors for adverse neonatal outcome in severe fetal compromise.

BACKGROUND: An adequate placental perfusion is crucial for the normal growth and well being of the fetus and newborn. The blood flow through the placenta can be compromised in a variety of clinical situations, always causing important damage to the gestation. Our objective is to identify significant predictors for adverse neonatal outcome in severe fetal compromise. METHODS: Consecutive premature fetuses at between 25 and 32 weeks with severe placental insufficiency were examined prospectively. Inclusion criteria were: (i) singletons (ii) normal anatomy; (iii) abnormal umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index (PI); (iv) abnormal cerebroplacental ratio; (v) middle cerebral artery (MCA) PI < - 2SD ("brain sparing"); (vi) last Doppler examination performed within 24 hours prior to delivery. All 46 patients that met criteria and started the study were followed to the end. We considered as independent potential predicting variables: absent or reversed end diastolic flow in umbilical artery, abnormal ductus venosus S/A ratio, absent or reversed flow during atrial contraction in the ductus venosus and birth weight Z score. Outcome parameters were: neonatal mortality and severe neonatal morbidity. RESULTS: Backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to determine the optimal model for the prediction of neonatal mortality and severe neonatal morbidity. In this analysis birth weight Z score index showed the strongest association OR = 1,87 [1,17-2,99] with all neonatal outcome, all other independent variables were excluded for the optimal model. There was no mortality for the group with normal birth weight Z score. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that birth weight Z score is the strongest predictor of adverse neonatal outcome in severe placental insufficiencies. Such use of Z scores, allowing to get rid of gestational age or sex covariates could be extended to estimated fetal weight and might help in making important decisions in the management of compromised pregnancies.

Cantrell's Pentalogy in Twins: Prenatal Diagnosis.

The combination of an onphalocele, an anterior thoracic wall defect and an anterior diaphragmatic defect constitutes classical Cantrell's pentalogy. We present a case of Cantrell's pentalogy diagnosed prenataly in twins with conventional and three-dimensional sonography.