Melatonin Use in Infants Admitted to Intensive Care Units.

OBJECTIVES: Sleep deprivation is a risk factor for delirium development, which is a frequent complication of intensive care unit admission. Melatonin has been used for both delirium prevention and treatment. Melatonin safety, efficacy, and dosing information in neonates and infants is lacking. The purpose of this study was to describe melatonin use in infants regarding indication, dosing, efficacy, and safety. METHODS: This descriptive, retrospective study included infants <12 months of age admitted to an intensive care unit receiving melatonin. Data collection included demographics, melatonin regimen, sedative and analgesic agents, antipsychotics, and delirium-causing medications. The primary objective was to identify the melatonin indication and median dose. The secondary objectives included change in delirium, pain, and sedation scores; change in dosing of analgesic and sedative agents; and adverse event identification. Wilcoxon signed rank tests and linear mixed models were employed with significance defined at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were included, with a median age of 5.5 months (IQR, 3.9-8.2). Most (n = 29; 52.7%) received melatonin for sleep promotion. The median body weight-based dose was 0.31 mg/kg/dose (IQR, 0.20-0.45). There was a statistical reduction in cumulative morphine equivalent dosing 72 hours after melatonin administration versus before, 17.1 versus 21.4 mg/kg (p = 0.049). No adverse events were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients (n = 29; 52.7%) received melatonin for sleep promotion at a median dose was 0.31 mg/kg/dose. Initiation of melatonin was associated with a reduction of opioid exposure; however, there was no reduction in pain/sedation scores.

Inter-alpha inhibitor protein level in neonates predicts necrotizing enterocolitis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare inter-alpha inhibitor protein (IaIp) levels in neonates with proven necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and neonates with other, nonspecific abdominal disorders. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective observational study of neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit. NEC was diagnosed according to Bell's staging criteria. The nNeonates in the control group had a nonspecific abdominal disorder, but no radiographic evidence of NEC and no disease progression. All neonates with radiographically confirmed NEC were included. Plasma IaIp levels were quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Seventeen neonates had confirmed NEC, and 34 neonates had nonspecific abdominal disorders that improved rapidly. Gestational age, postnatal age, weight, sex, maternal obstetric variables, rupture of membranes, and mode of delivery did not differ between the two groups. Mean IaIp level was significantly lower in the NEC group compared with the control group (137 ± 38 mg/L; 95% confidence interval [CI], 118-157 mg/L vs 258 ± 53 mg/L; 95% CI, 238-277 mg/L; P <.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The finding of significantly lower IaIp levels in neonates with NEC suggests that IaIp might be a useful, sensitive biomarker, allowing initiation of appropriate therapy and reducing antibiotic overuse in neonates with suspected but unproven NEC. Administration of IaIp may significantly reduce the severity of systemic inflammation and associated tissue injury.

The role of inter-alpha inhibitor proteins in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

We evaluated Inter-alpha inhibitor proteins (IaIp) as a diagnostic marker in neonatal sepsis. Samples were collected from 573 neonates who were examined for suspected sepsis. IaIp level was significantly lower in the septic group (121+/-71 mg/L) than in the non-septic group (322+/-91 mg/L). The optimal cutoff value with the receiver operating characteristic curve was