Too Much Salt to My Taste: An Entity to Think about in Neonatal Hypernatremia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

In exclusively breastfed newborns, hypernatremic dehydration is associated with a free water deficit secondary to insufficient fluid intake. Failure of newborns to regain their birth weight by the 10th day of life should be investigated urgently. In this report, we present a case of a 2 -week-old girl who presented to our institution for 30% weight loss and was found to have severe hypernatremic dehydration associated with acute renal failure (creatinine 4 mg/dL). Upon further investigation, the breast milk sodium content was found to be extremely elevated (90 mEq/L). To our knowledge, the following reported case of severe neonatal hypernatremic dehydration associated with acute renal failure has the most elevated breast milk sodium content, serum sodium, and serum creatinine levels described in the literature. Thus, hypernatremic dehydration secondary to elevated breast milk content should always be borne in mind and investigated whenever suspected.

Ultrasound-guided Central Line Insertion and Standard Peripherally Inserted Catheter Placement in Preterm Infants: Comparing Results from Prospective Study in a Single-center.

BACKGROUND: Among preterm infants, the peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is the standard line for central venous access; however, its placement exposes them to hypothermia and pain. Ultrasound (US)-guided central line insertion may be less morbid than standard PICC line. AIMS: To determine the ease, success rate, and morbidity associated with US-guided central line insertion in the internal jugular vein (IJV) by comparing it to the standard PICC line placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a single-center nonrandomized prospective study evaluating preterm infants between October 2013 and June 2014. Patients were allocated into two groups: The standard group (control group) who underwent blind PICC line insertion and the intervention group who underwent a percutaneous US-guided central line insertion in the IJV. The epicutaneo-cava-catheter was used in both groups. RESULTS: Fifty neonates were enrolled on study. A statistically difference in favor of US-IJV insertion was noted concerning the rate of successful first attempt (P < 0.001), insertion (P = 0.001), and procedure duration (P < 0.001) and number of trials (P < 0.001) compared to PICC. No difference in complications (P = 1.000) was noted. CONCLUSION: US guided catheterization of the IJV technique is faster than PICC line insertion with higher rates of successful first attempt and insertion, less procedure duration and fewer number of trials compared to PICC line insertion. There were no differences in complications.

[Percutaneous closure of a large ductus arteriosus with the Amplatzer device]. / Fermeture percutanée d'un large canal artériel avec la prothèse Amplatzer.

We describe here the first Lebanese experience of percutaneous closure of a large patent ductus arteriosus in a 15-year-old female. The ductus arteriosus was successfully occluded using the new Amplatzer Duct Occluder system. The procedure time was 40 minutes and the young patient was discharged home the next day. This new device, conceived since 1997, gives very encouraging results according to the recent medical literature.

Diffuse persistent interstitial pulmonary emphysema treated by lobectomy.

Persistent interstitial pulmonary emphysema is a rare condition that occurs in preterm infants on mechanical ventilation, characterized by abnormal accumulation of air in the pulmonary interstitium, due to disruption of the basement membrane. Diffuse persistent interstitial pulmonary emphysema is observed when small cysts are noted in all lobes of the lung. The management of infants suffering from diffuse persistent interstitial pulmonary emphysema varies according to severity and stability of the patient, being either conservative treatment or aggressive surgical treatment by pneumonectomy. We report a case of an unstable patient with diffuse persistent interstitial pulmonary emphysema successfully treated by lobectomy as a form of conservative surgical approach.

Predictors of breast-feeding in a developing country: results of a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Data on the prevalence and predictors of breast-feeding remain scarce in Lebanon. Moreover, no study has previously addressed the effect of the paediatrician's sex on breast-feeding. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of breast-feeding at 1 and 4 months of infant age while exploring the potential role of the sex of the paediatrician. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. Predictors of breast-feeding significant at the bivariate level were tested at 1 and 4 months through two stepwise regression models. SETTING: Infants were enrolled through the clinics and dispensaries of 117 paediatricians located in Beirut, Lebanon, and its suburbs. SUBJECTS: A total of 1,320 healthy newborn infants born between August 2001 and February 2002 were prospectively followed during the first year. FINDINGS: Breast-feeding rates at 1 and 4 months were 56.3 % and 24.7 %, respectively. Early discharge, high parity and religion were significantly associated with higher breast-feeding rates at 1 and 4 months of age. Maternal age proved significant only at 1 month, while maternal working status and sex of the paediatrician were significant at 4 months. A novel finding of our study was the positive effect of female paediatricians on breast-feeding continuation until 4 months of age (OR = 1.49; 95 % CI 1.03, 2.15). CONCLUSIONS: Breast-feeding rates are low at 1 and 4 months of infant age in Beirut. Further research to investigate the interactions between female physicians and lactating mothers in maintaining breast-feeding in other populations is warranted. The results constitute the basis for designing interventions targeting policy makers, health professionals and mothers.

Intrauterine growth standards in a developing country: a study of singleton livebirths at 28-42 weeks' gestation.

This study aimed to develop fetal growth charts for the population of Greater Beirut, Lebanon, and compare them with previously established references. A survey of consecutive singleton livebirths admitted to normal nurseries and neonatal intensive care units of major hospitals, through the database project of the National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network was used as a design. The study was conducted in nine major healthcare institutions serving the population of Beirut and its suburbs. A total of 24 767 singleton livebirths delivered between 28 and 42 weeks' gestation, with known data on gender, gestational age and anthropometric characteristics were recorded between 1 April 1999 and 31 March 2002. Growth charts were developed by plotting birthweight, length and head circumference percentiles against gestational age for male and female infants separately. Overall, 1348 (5.4%) pregnancies were delivered before 37 weeks' gestation and 1227 (4.9%) were low birthweight. Male infants were delivered slightly earlier than their female counterparts and the mean birthweight, length and head circumference were consistently higher in males. A total of 2247 (9.1%) infants were small-for-gestational-age, with a male-to-female sex ratio of 1.03. Using previously established growth references that overestimated small-for-gestational-age prevalence resulted in a greater proportion of false positives. The opposite was true for growth references that underestimated small-for-gestational-age prevalence. The current growth charts present useful tools for assessing the general health status of newborn infants delivered at sea level in the urban areas of Lebanon and other East Mediterranean countries.

Risk factors for term or near-term fetal growth restriction in the absence of maternal complications.

The objective of this study was to examine risk factors for term or near-term fetal growth restriction (FGR) in the absence of pregnancy complications. We completed a survey of uncomplicated single live births delivered in Greater Beirut, Lebanon. FGR cases were defined as below the 10th percentile of expected weight at gestational age. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Main predictors of FGR were female gender (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.46 to 2.59), nulliparity (Or, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.25 ton 2.20), low prepregnancy weight (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.58 to 4.01), short stature (OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.57 to 4.28), and low pregnancy weight gain (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.21 to 2.55). Anthropometric characteristics of mothers are important modifiable determinants of fetal size in our developing urban population of uncomplicated births.