Supporting all breaths versus supporting some breaths during synchronised mechanical ventilation in neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: National Institute for Health and Clinical Effectiveness (NICE), UK, guideline published in 2019 recommends the use of volume-targeted ventilation (VTV). It recommends synchronised intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) over the modes that support-all-breaths, for example, assist control ventilation (ACV). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the studies comparing SIMV mode with triggered modes supporting all breaths. METHODS: Patients: Neonates receiving mechanical ventilation. INTERVENTION: SIMV ventilation.Comparison: Modes that support-all-breaths: ACV, pressure support ventilation and neurally adjusted ventilation. OUTCOMES: Death before discharge and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at 36 weeks' corrected gestation, weaning duration, incidence of air leaks, extubation failure, postnatal steroid use, patent ductus arteriosus requiring treatment, severe (grade 3/4) intraventricular haemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia and neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years.Randomised or quasi-randomised clinical trials comparing SIMV with triggered ventilation modes supporting all breaths in neonates, reporting on at least one outcome of interest were eligible for inclusion in the review. RESULTS: Seven publications describing eight studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. No significant difference in mortality (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.32 to 1.74) or BPD at 36 weeks (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.24), but the weaning duration was significantly shorter in support-all-breaths group with a mean difference of -22.67 hours (95% CI -44.33 to -1.01). No difference in any other outcomes. CONCLUSION: Compared with SIMV, synchronised modes supporting all breaths are associated with a shorter weaning duration with no statistically significant difference in mortality, BPD at 36 weeks or other outcomes. Larger studies with explicit ventilator and weaning protocols are needed to compare these modes in the current neonatal population. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: The review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO: CRD42020207601.

Improving the experience of obtaining repeat complex paediatric prescriptions in the UK.

In the UK, medicines for chronic conditions in children and young people (CYP) are typically initiated within secondary or tertiary care, with responsibility for ongoing supply often then passed to the child's general practitioner (GP) and community pharmacist. The patient should then be reviewed in regular specialist clinics, with two-way communication for any changes in medications or clinical status undertaken between primary and secondary/tertiary care. This arrangement allows long-term medications to be obtained close to home.Although this is what parents expect, the reality is often messy, with families regularly needing to source some medicines from the GPs and others via hospitals or homecare services. In addition, these arrangements are not uniform, they vary across different areas of the UK and depend on individual GP or hospital prescriber acceptance. When neither primary, secondary or tertiary care accepts it is their responsibility to prescribe, or patients are under multiple specialists, families often feel left to navigate this complex and variable supply system themselves. Obtaining a prescription is only the start of the process for families as dispensing from a community pharmacy can also be challenging.In this article, we set out the barriers and potential solutions to this complex issue. We use the term specialist prescribers to include not only paediatricians but all other specialists looking after CYP including child and adolescent psychiatrists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, surgeons, etc, as well as non-medical prescribers.

Clues beyond the lung: an unusual diagnosis in an infant with chronic lung disease.

It is important to consider alternative diagnoses when a common respiratory condition presents with atypical features. In this patient, subtle systemic signs and an unusual clinical course hinted at an unexpected aetiology. http://bit.ly/2webytn.

Impact of a protocol-driven unified service for neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

AIM: A new specialised service for preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia requiring long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) was established in 2007, led by the paediatric respiratory team, transitioning from neonatal-led follow-up. The new service included the utilisation of a clear protocol. Our objective was to review whether this service initiation led to a reduction of time in LTOT and hospital readmissions. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of infants born at <32 weeks' gestation requiring LTOT in a single tertiary neonatal service. Cases were identified from hospital records, BadgerNet and a local database for two cohorts, 2004-2006 and 2008-2010. Data collected for infants requiring LTOT included demographic details, length of neonatal stay, time in oxygen and hospital attendance rates. RESULTS: The initiation of the service led to an increase in the number of discharges in LTOT: 13.1% of infants born alive before 32 weeks' gestation in comparison to 3.5% (p<0.001). However, the length of time in LTOT reduced from 15 to 5 months (p=0.01). There was no difference in hospital readmission rates (p=0.365). CONCLUSIONS: In our experience the increase in neonates requiring LTOT is likely to be due to enhanced provision of overnight oximetry studies prior to discharge. Structured monitoring and weaning led to a shorter duration of home oxygen therapy.

The incidence and presentation of neonatal herpes in a single UK tertiary centre, 2006-2013.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal herpes infection can have devastating outcomes for otherwise healthy babies. In the UK, the stated incidence is low at 1.65 per 100 000 live births, which is in contrast with an incidence of 33 per 100 000 in the USA. We aimed to discover the current incidence of neonatal herpes infection in our tertiary service, determine the timing of presentations, and to consider which presenting features could be used for early recognition and prognostication. METHODS: All cases of neonatal herpes infection occurring in the last 8 years were reviewed, and those cases from an agreed population were used to calculate an incidence. The statistical associations between clinical features and death were examined. FINDINGS: There were 57 291 live births between 2006 and 2012. Nineteen cases were identified including 10 from the study population (17.5/100 000 live births). There were nine deaths, all presenting later than 6 days of age. Independent predictors of death were haemodynamic instability, coagulopathy, bleeding and central nervous system features at presentation. All presentations occurred within 2 weeks of birth and were varied and often non-specific. INTERPRETATION: Our incidence rate of 17.5 per 100 000 live births represents a significant increase and is much more in line with the higher incidence rates seen in the USA. The range of presentations shows the non-specific nature of this disease. We advocate a heightened awareness of this treatable disease in the UK, and encourage adoption of modern rapid diagnostic techniques and the wider inclusion of Aciclovir in treatment regimens for neonatal sepsis.

Effects of placental transfusion in extremely low birthweight infants: meta-analysis of long- and short-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Risks and benefits of increasing placental transfusion in extremely preterm infants (extremely low birthweight [ELBW], <1000 g) are ill defined. We performed a meta-analysis to compare long- and short-term outcomes of ELBW infants in trials of enhanced placental transfusion regimens. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of delayed umbilical cord clamping or umbilical cord milking in compliance with PRISMA and Cochrane Collaborative guidelines for systematic reviews. We searched multiple databases for medical literature up to December 2012. Inclusion criteria were preterm infants less than 30 weeks and less than 1000 g birthweight, randomly assigned to enhanced placental transfusion (either delayed cord clamping or cord milking) versus immediate cord clamping. The primary outcome was standardized neurodevelopmental outcome at 18 to 24 months corrected age using a standardized scale. Several short-term outcomes were also evaluated as secondary variables. RESULTS: We found 19 studies of which 10 studies could be included (n = 199). Three reported neurodevelopmental outcomes, none of which showed significant rates of disability. Two reported these at 18 to 24 months (n = 42) but used different scales preventing pooling. Short-term benefits of enhanced placental strategies included better blood pressure and hemoglobin on admission, along with reduced blood transfusions, a trend to reduced intraventricular hemorrhage, and episodes of late-onset sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies to enhance placental transfusion may improve short-term outcomes of ELBW infants. However, paucity of data on neurodevelopmental outcomes and safety concerns tempers enthusiasm for these interventions. Appropriately designed RCTs to assess short-term and longterm outcomes are needed in ELBW infants.