The effect of NHFOV on hemodynamics in mild and moderately preterm neonates: a randomized clinical trial.

The aim of this study is to study cardio-respiratory effects of nasal high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (NHFOV) vs. NCPAP as an initial mode of ventilation in moderate-late-preterm infants. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in NICU of Alexandria University Maternity Hospital (AUMH). One-hundred late-moderate-preterm infants were randomly assigned to either NHFOV-group (n = 50) or NCPAP-group (n = 50). For both groups, functional echocardiography was performed in the first 24 h to detect hemodynamic changes and respiratory outcome was monitored throughout the hospital stay. The main outcomes were hemodynamic measurements and myocardial function using functional echocardiography of those infants along with the respiratory outcome and complications. Kaplan-Meier survival plot was used representing time course of NCPAP and NHFOV failure. Left ventricular output values were not significantly different in both groups with median 202 ml/kg /min and IQR (176-275) in NCPAP-group and 226 ml/kg/min with IQR (181-286) in NHFOV group. Nevertheless, ejection fraction and fractional shortening were significantly higher in NHFOV-group with P 0.001. The time to weaning, the time to reach 30%-FIO2, the need for invasive ventilation, oxygen support duration, and maximal-FIO2 were significantly more in NCAPAP group.     Conclusion: NHFOV is an effective and promising tool of non-invasive-ventilation which can be used as a primary modality of respiratory support in preterm infants with variable forms of respiratory distress syndrome without causing detrimental effect on hemodynamics or significant respiratory complications.     Trial registration: NCT05706428 (registered on January 21, 2023). What is Known: • NHFOV might be beneficial as a secondary mode of ventilation and might have an impact on hemodynamics. What is New: • NHFOV can be used as an initial mode of ventilation with CDP beyond the reported pressure limits of CPAP without causing neither CO2 retention nor adverse hemodynamic consequences.

Role of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Monitoring the Clinical Course of Asphyxiated Neonates Treated with Hypothermia.

OBJECTIVE: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) affects millions of newborns annually, especially in low-resource settings. Real-time monitoring of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage is urgently needed for assessment of severity and management of neonates with birth asphyxia. Aim of the work is monitoring of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-measured cerebral regional oxygen saturation (cRSO2) and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (FTOE) in neonates after birth asphyxia in relation to their clinical course. STUDY DESIGN: Forty asphyxiated-term and near-term neonates with mild to severe HIE admitted at neonatal intensive care unit of Alexandria University Maternity Hospital from March to October 2019, received therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and had continuous NIRS monitoring of cRSO2 for 72 hours. Infants were categorized into HIE with seizing and nonseizing groups, and abnormal and normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) groups. RESULTS: Clinical seizures (CS) occurred in 15 (37.5%) of HIE neonates and 13.3% of them died (n = 2). In the current study, significantly higher cRSO2 and lower FTOE values were found in the seizing infants as compared with nonseizing group (p < 0.001). NIRS-measured day 2-cRSO2 and day 1-FTOE were associated with CS in newborns with HIE and day 1-cRSO2 and FTOE were associated with abnormal MRI at 1 month of age. cRSO2 values were found to correlate positively with initial Thompson score especially in days 1 and 2. Further, neonates with CS were more likely to have MRI abnormalities at follow-up. CONCLUSION: NIRS measures may highlight differences between asphyxiated neonates who develop CS or later MRI abnormalities and those who do not. KEY POINTS: · Day 1 FTOE is the early and sensitive predictor for both clinical seizures and abnormal MRI.. · Cerebral oxygenation metrics help in selecting patients in urgent need of an early MRI scan.. · Cerebral oxygenation metrics can be used hand in hand with clinical assessment using Thompson score at admission to select patient candidate for therapeutic hypothermia..

Catheters linked thrombosis in neonates: a single center observational study.

BACKGROUND: Central venous catheters (CVCs) are the major risk factors for neonatal thrombosis that might negatively affect morbidity and mortality in neonates. The aim of the present work was to estimate the incidence of CVC-linked thrombosis, among neonates in the NICU of Alexandria University Maternity Hospital, Egypt, over 1year, and to determine its possible risk factors. METHODS: This observational cohort study involved 134 newborn infants born from July 2020 to July 2021with CVCs insertion during their hospital stay. Patients who had congenital anomalies, had thrombosis unrelated to the implantation of CVCs or died before 7 days of catheter placement were excluded from the analysis. The 134 neonates who met the study's eligibility requirements had 142 CVCs inserted. Serial ultrasound and Doppler scans on site of venous insertion of catheters were performed. RESULTS: Seventeen patients with catheter's thrombosis (12%) were found during the placement of 142 catheters or 1615 CVCs' days, resulting in an overall rate of 10.5 thrombotic events per 1000 catheters' days. We constructed a logistic regression model to identify risk factors behind CVC-linked thrombosis. In univariate analysis, femoral central venous lines (CVLs), catheter dwell-time, sepsis, packed red cells (PRBCs) transfusions and low platelet count were risk factors for CVC-linked thrombosis. Nevertheless, only PRBCs transfusion was significant in the multivariate analysis, with OR and 95% confidence level 5.768 (1.013-32.836). CONCLUSION: Many factors should be considered in prediction of patients at risk of thrombosis including sepsis, femoral line insertion, low platelet count and PRBCs-transfusions. In our analysis, PRBCs-transfusion through peripheral intravenous lines (PIVs) was the strongest factor associated with CVC-linked thrombosis.