A Piglet Perinatal Asphyxia Model to Study Cardiac Injury and Hemodynamics after Cardiac Arrest, Resuscitation, and the Return of Spontaneous Circulation.

Neonatal piglets have been extensively used as translational models for perinatal asphyxia. In 2007, we adapted a well-established piglet asphyxia model by introducing cardiac arrest. This enabled us to study the impact of severe asphyxia on key outcomes, including the time taken for the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), as well as the effect of chest compressions according to alternative protocols for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Due to the anatomical and physiological similarities between piglets and human neonates, piglets serve as good models in studies of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and hemodynamic monitoring. In fact, this cardiac arrest model has provided evidence for guideline development through research on resuscitation protocols, pathophysiology, biomarkers, and novel methods for hemodynamic monitoring. Notably, the incidental finding that a substantial fraction of piglets have pulseless electrical activity (PEA) during cardiac arrest may increase the applicability of the model (i.e., it may be used to study pathophysiology extending beyond the perinatal period). However, the model generation is technically challenging and requires various skill sets, dedicated personnel, and a fine balance of the measures, including the surgical protocols and the use of sedatives/analgesics, to ensure a reasonable rate of survival. In this paper, the protocol is described in detail, as well as experiences with adaptations to the protocol over the years.

Biochemical surveillance versus clinical observation of term infants born after prolonged rupture of membranes - A quality assurance initiative.

AIM: To examine whether biochemical surveillance vs clinical observation of term infants with prolonged rupture of membranes as a risk factor for early-onset sepsis is associated with differences in patient trajectories in maternity and neonatal intensive care units. METHODS: A retrospective study of live-born infants with gestational age ≥ 37 + 0 weeks born after prolonged rupture of membranes (≥24 h) in four Norwegian hospitals 2017-2019. Two hospitals used biochemical surveillance, and two used predominantly clinical observation to identify early-onset sepsis cases. RESULTS: The biochemical surveillance hospitals had more C-reactive protein measurements (p < 0.001), neonatal intensive care unit admissions (p < 0.001) and antibiotic treatment (p < 0.001). Hospitals using predominantly clinical observation initiated antibiotic treatment earlier in infants with suspected early-onset sepsis (p = 0.04) but not in infants fulfilling early-onset sepsis diagnostic criteria (p = 0.09). There was no difference in antibiotic treatment duration (p = 0.59), fraction of infants fulfilling early-onset sepsis diagnostic criteria (p = 0.49) or length of hospitalisation (p = 0.30), and no early-onset sepsis-related adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: The biochemical surveillance hospitals had more C-reactive protein measurements, but there was no difference in antibiotic treatment duration, early-onset sepsis cases, length of hospitalisation or adverse outcomes. Personnel resources needed for clinical surveillance should be weighed against the limitation of potentially painful procedures.