Expanded targeted screening for congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

An early diagnosis and intervention for congenital cytomegalovirus infection can reduce long-term disability; however, the introduction of universal neonatal screening has been controversial worldwide. The present study clarified the outcome of a targeted screening protocol for detecting congenital cytomegalovirus infection based on suggestive perinatal conditions. In addition, the positive rate was compared to those from the reported studies and the validity of the targeted screening criteria was discussed. A total of 2121 newborn infants were admitted to our hospital between October 2018 and October 2021. Cytomegalovirus DNA was examined by the isothermal nucleic acid amplification method for urine samples from newborns with any of the following: microcephaly, abnormal ultrasound findings in the brain and visceral organs, repeated failure in neonatal hearing screening, suspicious maternal cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy, and other abnormal findings suggestive of congenital cytomegalovirus infection. Among 2121 newborns, 102 (4.8%) were subject to the urine cytomegalovirus DNA test based on the abovementioned criteria. Of them, three were cytomegalovirus DNA-positive. According to the protocol, the cytomegalovirus DNA-positive rates were 0.14% among the total enrollment of 2121 newborns and 2.9% (3/102) among the targeted newborns. This protocol may overlook congenital cytomegalovirus infection that is asymptomatic or exhibits inapparent clinical manifestations only at birth; however, it is feasible and helps lead to the diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection that may otherwise be overlooked.

Extrauterine growth restriction was associated with short stature and thinness in very low birthweight infants at around six years of age.

AIM: The effect that intrauterine or extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) had on the build of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants was investigated before Japanese children started school. METHOD: Between 2005 and 2017, the National Hospital Organization, Saga, Japan, carried out preschool checks on 322 children born with a VLBW at approximately six years of age. Growth restriction was defined as being born small for gestational age (SGA) or EUGR if they were born at term. The prevalence of short stature, thinness and obesity was determined, and associations between SGA or EUGR and subsequent body build were investigated. RESULTS: In this study, 77 of 322 (23.9%) infants were SGA and 153 of 322 (47.5%) were EUGR: 14 of 77 (18.2%) SGA infants caught up in growth to the 169 non-EUGR infants, while 90 of 245 (36.7%) appropriate for gestational age infants subsequently demonstrated EUGR. There were 38 (11.8%) short stature, 38 (11.8%) thin and six (1.9%) obese subjects in the total cohort and growth hormone deficiencies in nine (2.8%) cases. We found significant associations between EUGR and both short stature and thinness. CONCLUSION: Extrauterine growth restriction was significantly associated with short stature and thinness in VLBW infants at around six years, irrespective of the degree of SGA.

A longer body length and larger head circumference at term significantly influences a better subsequent psychomotor development in very-low-birth-weight infants.

AIM: To clarify the influence of intra- and extra-uterine growth on subsequent psychomotor development in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. METHODS: Two hundred and eighty VLBW infants (28.4 ±â€¯2.6 weeks, 1000 ±â€¯294 g) were enrolled. Psychomotor development was determined at 37.1 ±â€¯2.1 months after birth using the Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development (KSPD), which includes Postural-Motor (P-M), Cognitive-Adaptive (C-A) and Language-Social (L-S) subscales. Subjects were divided into two groups based on whether each developmental quotient (DQ) was ≥85, and the perinatal variables that contributed to a DQ of ≥85 (for each DQ) were determined. The twelve variables that were evaluated included the z scores for body weight (zBW), body length (zBL), head circumference (zHC), which were obtained at birth and at term. RESULTS: The median P-M, C-A, L-S values and total DQ were 92, 83, 81 and 83, respectively, and the percentage of patients with a DQ of ≥85 were 53%, 44%, 35% and 39%, respectively. A multivariate analysis revealed significant associations between the following variables and the DQs: P-M ≥ 85, GA [odds ratio; OR = 1.11] and zBL at term [OR = 1.26]; C-A ≥ 85, male gender [OR = 0.30], GA [OR = 1.14] and zHC at term [OR = 1.84]; L-S ≥ 85, male gender [OR = 0.55], GA [ OR = 1.20] and zHC at term [OR = 1.45]; total DQ ≥ 85, male gender [OR = 0.39], GA [OR = 1.19] and zBL at term [OR = 1.69]. CONCLUSION: In addition to less prematurity and female gender, a longer body length and larger head circumference at term were important indicators that influenced better psychomotor development in VLBW infants at three years of chronological age.

Neonatal hydrocortisone therapy does not have a serious suppressive effect on the later function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.

AIM: This study investigated whether providing extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants with a large amount of hydrocortisone had a serious suppressive effect on the later function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. METHODS: We evaluated the function of the HPA axis in 58 ELBW infants receiving 9.0 ± 7.2 mg/kg of intravenous and 68.1 ± 34.1 mg/kg of oral hydrocortisone using a human corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test. The mean age at investigation was 12.0 ± 5.2 months. The response was judged to be normal when the maximum to minimum ratio of the plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentration was >2, the peak value of the serum cortisol concentration was >552 nmol/L, or the increment was >193 nmol/L than baseline concentration. RESULTS: Of the 58 infants studied, 51 (88%) displayed a normal response to both the ACTH and cortisol secretion and seven infants (12%) who were judged to be poor responders exhibited a peak cortisol value of >386 nmol/L without any episode of adrenal insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Providing ELBW infants with a daily low dose of long-term hydrocortisone therapy should not lead to a serious suppressive effect on the later function of the HPA axis, regardless of the administration method.

Cognitive outcome of very-low-birthweight infants at 6 years of age.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of the cognitive function in very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWI) at 6 years of age and investigate significant factors during neonatal intensive care unit admission that affect cognitive outcomes. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-nine VLBWI (28.4 weeks, 1024 g), including 93 extremely low-birthweight (EL) infants whose birthweight was <1000 g (26.8 weeks, 759 g) and 96 very low-birthweight (VL) infants whose birthweight was 1000-1499 g (30.0 weeks, 1281 g), were enrolled. The cognitive function was measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children version 3, three IQ tests, four factor indices and 13 subtest scores. Regression analyses were performed to analyze the cognitive indices and clinical variables during neonatal intensive care unit admission. RESULTS: The full-scale IQ (FIQ) in the EL infants was 85.3 ± 13.4, which was significantly lower than the 91.8 ± 9.7 observed in the VL infants. The verbal IQ and performance IQ in the EL infants were also lower than those observed in the VL infants. The rate of difference between verbal IQ and performance IQ >14 was 20% in the EL infants and 22% in the VL infants. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant relation between FIQ and HC (P = 0.002) and FIQ and dexamethasone (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: In comparison with that observed in the VL infants, the intelligence quotient of the EL infants was inferior and exhibited more inter-individual variation. Intra-individual imbalances of the cognitive function were highly observed irrespective of the EL or VL status. Restriction of intrauterine brain growth and greater doses of dexamethasone may be harmful for subsequent cognitive outcomes.