Necrotizing Enterocolitis: Clinical Features, Histopathological Characteristics, and Genetic Associations.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an inflammatory bowel necrosis seen in premature infants. Although the etiopathogenesis of NEC is unclear, genetic factors may alter a patient's susceptibility, clinical course, and outcomes. This review draws from existing studies focused on individual genes and others based on microarray-based high-throughput discovery techniques. We have included evidence from our own studies and from an extensive literature search in the databases PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus. To avoid bias in the identification of studies, keywords were short-listed a priori from anecdotal experience and PubMed's Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) thesaurus.

Cerebral oxygenation monitoring of ex-preterm infants during the infant car seat challenge test.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and until recently the Canadian Paediatric Society recommend preterm infants undergo an Infant Car Seat Challenge test prior to discharge to rule out systemic oxygen desaturation when placed at a 45-degree angle in a car seat. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides objective measurements of the impact of systemic oxygen (SO2) desaturation, bradycardia, or both on cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO2). OBJECTIVE: To characterize baseline cerebral rSO2 during a car seat trial in preterm infants ready for discharge. DESIGN/METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed in 20 infants (32 ± 5 weeks [mean] at a postmenstrual age 37 ± 6 weeks [mean]). Cerebral rSO2 was continuously monitored by placing a NIRS transducer on head during Infant Car Seat Challenge (ICSC). Failure of an ICSC was defined as two SO2 desaturation events below 85% for more than 20 seconds or one event below 80% for 10 seconds. RESULTS: The lowest SO2 was 70% with a lowest NIRS recording of 68%. Three infants failed their ICSC, with the lowest rSO2 in these three infants being 68%, above the lowest acceptable limit of 55%. Heart rate but not SO2 appears to influence rSO2 over the range of cerebral oxygenation seen. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline cerebral rSO2 during ICSC oscillates between 68 and 90%. There were no episodes of significant cerebral oxygen desaturation in studied infants regardless of whether they passed or failed the ICSC. We postulate that former preterm infants are capable through cerebral autoregulation, of maintaining adequate cerebral blood flow in the presence of either systemic oxygen desaturation or bradycardia when they are otherwise ready for discharge.

Review of Biomedical Applications of Contactless Imaging of Neonates Using Infrared Thermography and Beyond.

The sick preterm infant monitoring is an intriguing job that medical staff in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) must deal with on a daily basis. As a standards monitoring procedure, preterm infants are monitored via sensors and electrodes that are firmly attached to their fragile and delicate skin and connected to processing monitors. However, an alternative exists in contactless imaging to record such physiological signals (we call it as Physio-Markers), detecting superficial changes and internal structures activities which can be used independently of, or aligned with, conventional monitors. Countless advantages can be gained from unobtrusive monitoring not limited to: (1) quick data generation; (2) decreasing physical and direct contact with skin, which reduces skin breakdown and minimizes risk of infection; and (3) reduction of electrodes and probes connected to clinical monitors and attached to the skin, which allows greater body surface-area for better care. This review is an attempt to build a solid ground for and to provide a clear perspective of the potential clinical applications of technologies inside NICUs that use contactless imaging modalities such as Visible Light Imaging (VLI), Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), and Infrared Thermography (IRT).

High frequency jet ventilation versus high frequency oscillatory ventilation for pulmonary dysfunction in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is considered one of the major contributors to severe pulmonary dysfunction and consequent death in preterm infants. Despite widespread improvements in care, including increased utilization of antenatal steroids, use of surfactant replacement therapy, and advances in conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV), chronic lung disease (CLD) occurs in 42% of surviving preterm infants born at less than 28 weeks gestational age (GA). High frequency ventilation (HFV) aims to optimize lung expansion while minimizing tidal volume (Vt) to decrease lung injury. Two methods of HFV - high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) - are widely used, but neither has demonstrated clear superiority in elective or rescue mode. OBJECTIVES: To compare the benefits and side effects of HFJV versus HFOV for mortality and morbidity in preterm infants born at less than 37 weeks GA with pulmonary dysfunction in both elective and rescue modes. SEARCH METHODS: We used the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2015, Issue 11), MEDLINE via PubMed (1966 to November 30, 2015), EMBASE (1980 to November 30, 2015), and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (1982 to November 30, 2015). We also searched clinical trials databases, conference proceedings, and the reference lists of retrieved articles for randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized trials. We imposed no date, language, or publication restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: We planned to include randomized, cluster-randomized, and quasi-randomized controlled trials if study authors stated explicitly that groups compared in the trial were established by a random or systematic method of allocation. We planned to exclude cross-over studies, as they would not allow assessment of the outcomes of interest. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used the standard methods of the Neonatal Cochrane Review Group, including independent trial assessment and data extraction. We intended to analyze the data by using risk ratios (RRs) and risk differences (RDs) and 1/RD. We planned to calculate the number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) or the number needed to treat for an additional harmful outcome (NNTH). MAIN RESULTS: We found no studies that met our inclusion criteria. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence to support the superiority of HFJV or HFOV as elective or rescue therapy. Until such evidence is available, comparison of potential side effects or presumed benefits of either mode is not feasible.