Doxapram versus placebo in preterm newborns: a study protocol for an international double blinded multicentre randomized controlled trial (DOXA-trial).

BACKGROUND: Apnoea of prematurity (AOP) is one of the most common diagnoses among preterm infants. AOP often leads to hypoxemia and bradycardia which are associated with an increased risk of death or disability. In addition to caffeine therapy and non-invasive respiratory support, doxapram might be used to reduce hypoxemic episodes and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation in preterm infants, thereby possibly improving their long-term outcome. However, high-quality trials on doxapram are lacking. The DOXA-trial therefore aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of doxapram compared to placebo in reducing the composite outcome of death or severe disability at 18 to 24 months corrected age. METHODS: The DOXA-trial is a double blinded, multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada. A total of 396 preterm infants with a gestational age below 29 weeks, suffering from AOP unresponsive to non-invasive respiratory support and caffeine will be randomized to receive doxapram therapy or placebo. The primary outcome is death or severe disability, defined as cognitive delay, cerebral palsy, severe hearing loss, or bilateral blindness, at 18-24 months corrected age. Secondary outcomes are short-term neonatal morbidity, including duration of mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and necrotising enterocolitis, hospital mortality, adverse effects, pharmacokinetics and cost-effectiveness. Analysis will be on an intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: Doxapram has the potential to improve neonatal outcomes by improving respiration, but the safety concerns need to be weighed against the potential risks of invasive mechanical ventilation. It is unknown if the use of doxapram improves the long-term outcome. This forms the clinical equipoise of the current trial. This international, multicentre trial will provide the needed high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of doxapram in the treatment of AOP in preterm infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04430790 and EUDRACT 2019-003666-41. Prospectively registered on respectively June and January 2020.

Atrial fibrillation in a pediatric patient caused by an unusual malignant etiology: A case report.

This case report describes a 15-year-old patient with a known congenital malformation syndrome and immune deficiency, presenting with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) after a recent diagnosis of an intrathoracic mass. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a structurally and functionally normal heart and workup confirmed a primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, with pericardial and left atrial involvement on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Electrical cardioversion was successfully performed to convert the AF and chemotherapy was promptly started. Antiarrhythmic treatment was continued for 6 weeks, without recurrent AF. We discuss the pathogenesis of AF in the setting of malignancies as well as the management strategies of AF, mainly based on adult guidelines.

An interesting case of 'strange lines' a neonate with oesophageal atresia, tracheo-oesophageal fistula, situs inversus abdominalis and azygos continuation.

We describe the case of a term baby boy born via vaginal delivery at 39 weeks gestation with oesophageal atresia, tracheaoesophageal fistula, situs inversus abdominalis and azygos continuation. The azygos continuation was diagnosed after cardiac echo and confirmed on cardiac catherisation after an unexpected umbilical line position on thoracoabdominal X-ray. The baby underwent a right-sided thoracotomy on day 1 of life for repair of the oesophageal atresia. A double fistula, of both the proximal and distal segments, of the oesophagus with short segment stenosis was confirmed. The tracheo-oesophageal fistulae were ligated and divided and the oesophageal atresia repaired by primary anastomosis without complications. The azygos vein was not ligated.