Clinical evaluation of an application aid for less-invasive surfactant administration (LISA).

BACKGROUND: Less-invasive surfactant administration (LISA) is increasingly used. We investigated the feasibility of a new LISA-device (Neofact®) in neonates. DESIGN: Prospective observational pilot study with open-label LISA in two tertiary neonatal intensive care units. PATIENTS: 20 infants with a gestational age of ≥26+0/7 weeks and an indication for LISA (Respiratory Severity Score (RSS)≥5 or fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ≥0.30). Infants with respiratory tract malformations or unavailability of an instructed neonatologist were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Success of LISA, defined as laryngoscopy-confirmed intratracheal catheter position or a decrease in FiO2 by ≥0.05 or to 0.21, accompanied by an RSS decrease of ≥2; number of attempts needed for tracheal catheterisation. RESULTS: 20/57 screened infants were enrolled. Successful application occurred in 19/20 (95%). One application failed after three attempts. No device-related adverse events occurred. The median number of attempts was 2, success rate per attempt 19/31 (61%). CONCLUSION: LISA via Neofact® appears feasible.

Case-control study of symptoms and neonatal outcome of human milk-transmitted cytomegalovirus infection in premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: Preterm infants are at risk of acquiring human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection through breast milk transmission, possibly leading to serious symptoms, as suggested by previous studies. Over a period of 8.5 years, we compared infants infected postnatally with CMV with noninfected controls to determine whether CMV infection transmitted through breast milk poses serious acute risks. STUDY DESIGN: CMV monitoring included maternal serologic testing and biweekly viral culture and polymerase chain reaction in breast milk and infant urine. Clinical and laboratory test findings were assessed retrospectively in infected infants and controls matched for gestational age during the initial hospital stay. RESULTS: Forty CMV-infected infants met the study criteria. They had lower minimal platelet and neutrophil counts and a higher frequency of C-reactive protein (CRP) elevations to 10 to 20 mg/L than their matched controls (P < or = .001). But no association of CMV infection with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, growth, or CRP elevations to > 20 mg/L was found. Cholestasis appeared in 3 infants in the CMV-infected group, but disappeared within 10 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal symptoms related to postnatal CMV infection were transient and had no affect on neonatal outcome in these infants, in contrast with uncontrolled reports. Whether withholding or pasteurizing breast milk is warranted, however, depends on long-term outcome.