Risk factors for neonatal hypoglycemia: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This Study aims to investigate the risk factors of hypoglycemia in neonates through meta-analysis. METHOD: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and Web of science databases were searched for case-control studies on risk factors for neonatal hypoglycemia. The search was done up to 1st October 2023 and Stata 15.0 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 12 published studies were included, including 991 neonates in the hypoglycemic group and 4388 neonates in the non-hypoglycemic group. Meta-analysis results suggested caesarean section [OR = 1.90 95%CI (1.23, 2.92)], small gestational age[OR = 2.88, 95%CI (1.59, 5.20)], gestational diabetes [OR = 1.65, 95%CI (1.11, 2.46)], gestational hypertension[OR = 2,79, 95%CI (1.78, 4.35)] and respiratory distress syndrome[OR = 5.33, 95%CI (2.22, 12.84)] were risk factors for neonatal hypoglycemia. CONCLUSION: Based on the current study, we found that caesarean section, small gestational age, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, respiratory distress syndrome are risk factors for neonatal hypoglycemia. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023472974.

Incidence of neonatal respiratory morbidity after vaginal and caesarean delivery in the late-preterm and term period - a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory distress syndrome is a leading cause of neonatal intensive care unit admissions for late preterm (34-36 weeks gestational age) and term infants (37-41 weeks). The risk for respiratory morbidity appears to increase after an elective caesarean delivery and might be reduced after antenatal corticosteroids. However, before considering antenatal corticosteroids for women at high risk of preterm birth after 34 weeks, the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and the effect of delivery mode on this incidence requires further evaluation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between respiratory distress syndrome incidence and delivery mode in late preterm and term infants. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, the clinical databases of the University Hospitals of Zurich and Basel were queried regarding all live births between 34 + 0 and 41 + 6 weeks. Neonatal intensive care unit admissions due to respiratory distress syndrome were determined and analysed in regard to the following delivery modes: spontaneous vaginal, operative vaginal, elective caesarean, secondary caesarean and emergency caesarean. RESULTS: After excluding malformations (n = 889) and incomplete or inconclusive data (n = 383), 37,110 infants out of 38,382 were evaluated. Of these, 5.34% (n = 1980) were admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit for respiratory distress syndrome. Regardless of gestational age, respiratory distress syndrome in infants after spontaneous vaginal delivery was 2.92%; for operative vaginal delivery, it was 4.02%; after elective caesarean delivery it was 8.98%; following secondary caesarean delivery, it was 8.45%, and after an emergency caesarean it was 13.3%. The risk of respiratory distress syndrome was higher after an elective caesarean compared to spontaneous vaginal delivery, with an odds ratio (OR), adjusted for gestational age, of 2.31 (95% CI 1.49-3.56) at 34 weeks, OR 5.61 (95% CI 3.39-9.3) at 35 weeks, OR 1.5 (95% CI 0.95-2.38) at 36 weeks, OR 3.28 (95% CI 1.95-5.54) at 37 weeks and OR 2.51 (95% CI 1.65-3.81) at 38 weeks. At 39 weeks, there was no significant difference between the risk of respiratory distress syndrome after an elective caesarean vs. spontaneous vaginal delivery. Over the study period, gestational age at elective caesarean delivery remained stable at 39.3 ± 1.65 weeks. CONCLUSION: The incidence of respiratory distress syndrome following an elective caesarean is up to threefold higher in infants born with less than 39 weeks gestational age compared to those born by spontaneous vaginal delivery. Therefore - and whenever possible - an elective caesarean delivery should be planned after 38 completed weeks to minimise the risk of respiratory morbidity in neonates.

Neonatal respiratory complications in twins at 36-38 weeks of gestation.

BACKGROUND: Twin pregnancies are associated with a high risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Late preterm or early term delivery is frequently performed to avoid unexpected fetal death in uncomplicated twin pregnancies. Nonetheless, delivery before full term is associated with neonatal respiratory complications. This study aimed to evaluate perinatal respiratory complications in twins delivered between 36 and 38 weeks of gestation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on twins delivered between 36 and 38 weeks of gestation from January 2008 to June 2020. The primary outcomes were the incidence of composite neonatal respiratory morbidity, which included respiratory distress syndrome, transient tachypnea of the newborn, meconium aspiration syndrome, mechanical ventilation or continuous positive airway pressure according to gestational age at delivery, and chorionicity. The relationship between gestational age at delivery and composite neonatal respiratory morbidity was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: This study included 1608 twins (614 monochorionic diamniotic twins, 994 dichorionic diamniotic twins). At 36, 37, and 38 weeks of gestation, the frequencies of composite neonatal respiratory morbidity were 19.4%, 10.7%, and 9.2% in dichorionic diamniotic twins and 13.6%, 8.7%, and 9.4% in monochorionic diamniotic twins, respectively. In dichorionic diamniotic twins, the composite neonatal respiratory morbidity rate was higher for twins delivered at 36 weeks of gestation than for those delivered at 37 weeks. No significant differences between monochorionic diamniotic twins were detected. CONCLUSIONS: In uncomplicated dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies, delivery should be considered after 37 weeks of gestation to reduce neonatal respiratory complications.

Situs Inversus Totalis in a Newborn With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

Respiratory distress in the newborn is associated with numerous etiologies, some common and some rare. When respiratory distress is accompanied by laterality defects, namely, situs inversus (SI), the index of suspicion for comorbid primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) should be raised. Primary ciliary dyskinesia is characterized by ciliary dysmotility and the accumulation of thick secretions in the airways that obstruct air and gas exchange. Neonatal clinicians should know that while PCD is definitively diagnosed in infancy or early childhood, findings suspicious for PCD should be communicated to primary care providers at discharge from the hospital to facilitate timely subspecialty involvement, diagnosis, and treatment. This article will present a case report of a term newborn with SI totalis who was later diagnosed with PCD. We will discuss epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostics, followed by management strategies. Additionally, we discuss the outpatient needs and lifespan implications.

Congenital glottic stenosis as a clinical manifestation of FREM1-associated disorders in a neonate with respiratory distress and aphonia.

A female infant born at 38 weeks and 2 days via induced vaginal delivery was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for respiratory distress soon after birth. Noted to have aphonia on examination, the patient underwent direct laryngoscopy and was diagnosed with an anterior glottic web and subglottic stenosis. The patient underwent a genetic workup including whole exome sequencing which resulted in a diagnosis of a FREM1-associated disorder. Congenital glottic webs and subglottic stenoses have not been previously described as clinical manifestations of FREM1-associated disorders.

Relationship between chorioamnionitis or funisitis and lung injury among preterm infants: meta-analysis involved 16 observational studies with 68,397 participants.

BACKGROUND: Chorioamnionitis (CA) can cause multiple organ injuries in premature neonates, particularly to the lungs. Different opinions exist regarding the impact of intrauterine inflammation on neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We aim to systematically review the relationship between CA or Funisitis (FV) and lung injury among preterm infants. METHODS: We electronically searched PubMed, EMbase, the Cochrane library, CNKI, and CMB for cohort studies from their inception to March 15, 2023. Two reviewers independently screened literature, gathered data, and did NOS scale of included studies. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: Sixteen observational studies including 68,397 patients were collected. Meta-analysis showed CA or FV increased the lung injury risk (OR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.06-1.92). Except for histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) (OR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.57-0.90), neither clinical chorioamnionitis (CCA) (OR = 1.86, 95%CI: 0.93-3.72) nor FV (OR = 1.23, 95%CI: 0.48-3.15) nor HCA with FV (OR = 1.85, 95%CI: 0.15-22.63) had statistical significance in NRDS incidence. As a result of stratification by grade of HCA, HCA (II) has a significant association with decreased incidence of NRDS (OR = 0.48, 95%CI: 0.35-0.65). In terms of BPD, there is a positive correlation between BPD and CA/FV (CA: OR = 3.18, 95%CI: 1.68-6.03; FV: OR = 6.36, 95%CI: 2.45-16.52). Among CA, HCA was positively associated with BPD (OR = 2.70, 95%CI: 2.38-3.07), whereas CCA was not associated with BPD (OR = 2.77, 95%CI: 0.68-11.21). HCA and moderate to severe BPD (OR = 25.38, 95%CI: 7.13-90.32) showed a positive correlation, while mild BPD (OR = 2.29, 95%CI: 0.99-5.31) did not. CONCLUSION: Currently, evidence suggests that CA or FV increases the lung injury incidence in premature infants. For different types of CA and FV, HCA can increase the incidence of BPD while decreasing the incidence of NRDS. And this "protective effect" only applies to infants under 32 weeks of age. Regarding lung injury severity, only moderate to severe cases of BPD were positively correlated with CA.

The impact of maternal asthma on the fetal lung: Outcomes, mechanisms and interventions.

Maternal asthma affects up to 17% of pregnancies and is associated with adverse infant, childhood, and adult respiratory outcomes, including increased risks of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, childhood wheeze and asthma. In addition to genetics, these poor outcomes are likely due to the mediating influence of maternal asthma on the in-utero environment, altering fetal lung and immune development and predisposing the offspring to later lung disease. Maternal asthma may impair glucocorticoid signalling in the fetus, a process critical for lung maturation, and increase fetal exposure to proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, interventions to control maternal asthma, increase glucocorticoid signalling in the fetal lung, or Vitamin A, C, and D supplementation to improve alveologenesis and surfactant production may be beneficial for later lung function. This review highlights potential mechanisms underlying maternal asthma and offspring respiratory morbidities and describes how pregnancy interventions can promote optimal fetal lung development in babies of asthmatic mothers.

Efficay of high-flow nasal cannula in the paediatric population: A systematic evidence map.

PROBLEM: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has been widely used in paediatric medicine as a non-invasive ventilation mode for respiratory support. However, the differences in its efficacy across different diseases and intervention types remain poorly understood. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: An extensive literature search was performed across multiple academic databases to investigate the systematic reviews and meta-analyses of HFNC. SAMPLE: This study included 35 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which collectively examined 355 randomised controlled trials and assessed 51 outcome indicators. RESULTS: The findings suggest that the existing clinical research evidence predominantly supports the therapeutic efficacy of HFNC. Notably, there is a significant focus on treating acute lower respiratory infection, hypoxaemia, bronchiolitis, and respiratory distress syndrome following extubation. However, concerning the respiratory status, the existing clinical research evidence mainly demonstrates the therapeutic benefits in post-extubation respiratory support and primary respiratory support. CONCLUSIONS: The research on HFNC has witnessed significant expansion, primarily focusing on respiratory disorders, post-extubation respiratory support, conscious sedation, and related fields. The evidence mapping provides a systematic and comprehensive overview of the available evidence on HFNC therapy in paediatric patients. IMPLICATIONS: This study systematically and comprehensively assessed the clinical subjects and populations involved in HFNC therapy. Notably, this study analyzed the trends, current status, and evidence gaps of research, and furnished decision-makers and relevant researchers with a more comprehensive reference basis.

Characteristics and outcomes of respiratory distress among term infants born in a regional setting.

INTRODUCTION: Respiratory distress is the leading cause of admission to neonatal units and is a common indication for medical retrieval. Whilst approximately 25% of births in NSW occur in regional centres, there is a paucity of neonatal research in these settings. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics and outcomes of term neonates admitted with respiratory distress to two regional special care nurseries (SCNs) and identify variables associated with the need for medical retrieval. DESIGN: We describe a cohort of 629 term infants admitted to the SCN in two regional hospitals, 2015-2019. We describe the admission characteristics, level of respiratory support, biochemical investigations, diagnosis and outcomes. FINDINGS: During the study period, 629 eligible term infants were admitted, retrieval occurred in 29 (4.6%). Those admitted were more often male (66.5%), with a mean gestational age of 39 + 1 weeks (±9 days) and birth weight of 3470 g (±500 g). Infants requiring medical retrieval had higher PaCO2 on blood gas analysis (59.8 mmHg vs. 53.3 mmHg, OR 1.03, p = 0.02). There was no association between maternal GBS status, meconium-stained liquor, gestational age, or raised inflammatory markers and medical retrieval. Transient tachypnoea of the newborn was the most common diagnosis of neonates admitted to SCN with respiratory distress. DISCUSSION: Among term infants admitted to a SCN for respiratory distress most were male, of a normal birthweight and born in good condition. Within our cohort there was no association between retrieval and maternal GBS colonisation, meconium-stained liquor or raised infectious biomarkers. Medical retrieval was infrequent and was associated with higher PaCO2 on initial blood gas analysis. CONCLUSION: We present a large cohort of term newborn infants managed for respiratory distress in a regional setting over a five-year period. Retrieval was infrequent, and outcomes for the cohort were excellent with no deaths during the study period.

The effect of non-invasive high-frequency oscillatory ventilation on the duration of non-invasive respiratory support in late preterm and term infants with transient tachypnea of the newborn: a randomized controlled trial.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) is one of the most commonly used non-invasive respiratory support modes in neonates with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN). Non-invasive high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (nHFOV) is a non-invasive respiratory support mode that has been increasingly used in neonatal respiratory disorders. This prospective randomized controlled study compared the efficacy of nHFOV and nCPAP in reducing the duration of non-invasive respiratory support. Late preterm and term infants > 34 weeks' gestation were included in the study. The infants were randomly assigned to receive either nHFOV or nCPAP. Treatment was started with standard settings in both groups. Infants who met treatment failure criteria were switched to nasal intermittent mandatory ventilation for further positive-pressure support. A total of 60 infants were included in the study. Thirty of these infants were included in the nHFOV group and 30 were included in the nCPAP group. The median duration of non-invasive respiratory support was not significantly different between the two groups (21 h [IQR: 16-68] for nHFOV vs 15 h [IQR: 11-33] for nCPAP; p = 0.09). However, after adjusting for potential confounders, nHFOV was associated with a shorter duration of non-invasive respiratory support than nCPAP (adjusted mean difference: 16.3 h; 95% CI: 0.7 to 31.9; p = 0.04). nHFOV was well tolerated and did not increase the risk of complications.    Conclusion: Our findings suggest that nHFOV is an effective and safe ventilation mode for late preterm and term neonates with TTN.   Trial registry: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03006354). Date of registration: December 30, 2016. What is Known: • nHFOV is a ventilation model that has been increasingly used for the management of RDS. • TTN is one of the most common causes of neonatal respiratory distress. What is New: • nHFOV is associated with shorter duration of non-invasive respiratory support and duration of oxygen support. • nHFOV may be a safe and effective alternative to nCPAP for neonates with TTN.