Infants Born to Mothers Who Were SARS-CoV-2 Positive during Pregnancy and Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to compare neonatal outcomes and resource use of neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 positivity during pregnancy with neonates born to mothers without SARS-CoV-2 positivity. METHODS: We conducted a two-country cohort study of neonates admitted between January 1, 2020, and September 15, 2021, to tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Canada and Sweden. Neonates from mothers who were SARS-CoV-2 positive during pregnancy were compared with three randomly selected NICU neonates of mothers who were not test-positive, matched on gestational age, sex, and birth weight (±0.25 SD). Subgroup analyses were conducted for neonates born <33 weeks' gestation and mothers who were SARS-CoV-2 positive ≤10 days prior to birth. Primary outcome was duration of respiratory support. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, neonatal morbidity, late-onset sepsis, receipt of breast milk at discharge, and length of stay. RESULTS: There were 163 exposed and 468 matched neonates in Canada, and 303 exposed and 903 matched neonates in Sweden. There was no statistically significant difference in invasive or noninvasive respiratory support durations, mortality, respiratory and other neonatal morbidities, or resource utilizations between two groups in both countries in entire cohort and in subgroup analyses. Receipt of breast milk at discharge was lower in the Canadian neonates of mothers who were SARS-CoV-2 positive ≤10 days before birth (risk ratio 0.68, 95% CI: 0.57-0.82). CONCLUSION: Maternal SARS-CoV-2 positivity was not associated with increased durations of respiratory support, morbidities, mortality, or length of hospital stay in Canada and Sweden among neonates admitted to tertiary NICU.

Source of human milk (mother or donor) is more important than fortifier type (human or bovine) in shaping the preterm infant microbiome.

Milk fortifiers help meet the nutritional needs of preterm infants receiving their mother's own milk (MOM) or donor human milk. We conducted a randomized clinical trial (NCT03214822) in 30 very low birth weight premature neonates comparing bovine-derived human milk fortifier (BHMF) versus human-derived fortifier (H2MF). We found that fortifier type does not affect the overall microbiome, although H2MF infants were less often colonized by an unclassified member of Clostridiales Family XI. Secondary analyses show that MOM intake is strongly associated with weight gain and microbiota composition, including Bifidobacterium, Veillonella, and Propionibacterium enrichment. Finally, we show that while oxidative stress (urinary F2-isoprostanes) is not affected by fortifier type or MOM intake, fecal calprotectin is higher in H2MF infants and lower in those consuming more MOM. Overall, the source of human milk (mother versus donor) appears more important than the type of milk fortifier (human versus bovine) in shaping preterm infant gut microbiota.

Point of care lung ultrasound service in neonatal intensive care: Five years of experience in Manitoba, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of a point of care lung ultrasound (POC-LUS) on patient management in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of neonates who had POC-LUS from 2016 to 2020 in two-level III NICUs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The primary outcome was the change in clinical management. The analysis aims mainly to describe the implementation process of the POC-LUS program. RESULTS: A total of 956 neonates underwent 4076 POC-LUS studies during the study period. The number of POC-LUS studies increased significantly every year, from 316 (in 2016) to 1257 (in 2020) (p < 0.001). POC-LUS resulted in a change in clinical management following 2528 POC-LUS studies (62%), while it supported continuing the same management in 1548 studies (38%). CONCLUSION: POC-LUS in Manitoba increased since its inception and led to an alteration in the clinical management in a significant proportion of patients who received the service.

DIRECTIVE CLINIQUE CONJOINTE DE LA SOGC ET DE LA SCP: Directive clinique no 424 : Prise en charge du cordon ombilical chez le nourrisson prématuré ou à terme.

Objectif: Évaluer l'effet du clampage retardé du cordon et de la traite du cordon ombilical sur les risques de mortalité et de morbidité maternelles et néonatales en contexte de grossesses monofœtale ou gémellaire. Population cible: Femmes enceintes dont la grossesse monofœtale ou gémellaire est à terme ou avant terme. Bénéfices risques et coûts: Chez les prématurés de grossesse monofœtale, le clampage retardé de 60 à 120 secondes idéalement, mais d'au moins 30 secondes, réduit le risque de mortalité et de morbidité. Chez les jumeaux prématurés, le clampage retardé est associé à certains bénéfices. Chez les nourrissons de grossesse monofœtale à terme, le clampage retardé de 60 secondes améliore les paramètres hématologiques. Chez les grands prématurés, la traite du cordon ombilical augmente le risque d'hémorragie intraventriculaire. Données probantes: Une recherche a été effectuée au moyen des bases de données Medline, PubMed, Embase et Cochrane Library, de leur création jusqu'à mars 2020, à partir de termes MeSH et de mot-clés liés au clampage retardé du cordon et à la traite du cordon ombilical. Le présent document est un résumé des données probantes et non pas une revue méthodologique. Méthodes de validation: Les auteurs ont évalué la qualité des données probantes et la force des recommandations en utilisant le cadre méthodologique d'évaluation, de développement et d'évaluation (GRADE). Voir l'annexe A en ligne (tableau A1 pour les définitions et tableau A2 pour l'interprétation des recommandations fortes et conditionnelles [faibles]).

JOINT SOGC-CPS CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE: Guideline No. 424: Umbilical cord management in preterm and term infants.

Objective: To assess the impact of deferred (delayed) cord clamping (DCC) and umbilical cord milking in singleton and twin gestations on maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Target Population: Women who are pregnant with preterm or term singletons or twins. Benefits Harms and Costs: In preterm singletons, DCC for (ideally) 60 to 120 seconds, but at least for 30 seconds, reduces infant risk of mortality and morbidity. DCC in preterm twins is associated with some benefits. In term singletons, DCC for 60 seconds improves hematological parameters. In very preterm infants, umbilical cord milking increases risk for intraventricular hemorrhage. Evidence: Searches of Medline, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to March 2020 were undertaken using Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and key words related to deferred cord clamping and umbilical cord milking. This document represents an abstraction of the evidence rather than a methodological review. Validation Methods: The authors rated the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. See online Appendix A (Tables A1 for definitions and A2 for interpretations of strong and conditional [weak] recommendations).

Care Levels for Fetal Therapy Centers.

Fetal therapies undertaken to improve fetal outcome or to optimize transition to neonate life often entail some level of maternal, fetal, or neonatal risk. A fetal therapy center needs access to resources to carry out such therapies and to manage maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications that might arise, either related to the therapy per se or as part of the underlying fetal or maternal condition. Accordingly, a fetal therapy center requires a dedicated operational infrastructure and necessary resources to allow for appropriate oversight and monitoring of clinical performance and to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration between the relevant specialties. Three care levels for fetal therapy centers are proposed to match the anticipated care complexity, with appropriate resources to achieve an optimal outcome at an institutional and regional level. A level I fetal therapy center should be capable of offering fetal interventions that may be associated with obstetric risks of preterm birth or membrane rupture but that would be very unlikely to require maternal medical subspecialty or intensive care, with neonatal risks not exceeding those of moderate prematurity. A level II center should have the incremental capacity to provide maternal intensive care and to manage extreme neonatal prematurity. A level III therapy center should offer the full range of fetal interventions (including open fetal surgery) and be able manage any of the associated maternal complications and comorbidities, as well as have access to neonatal and pediatric surgical intervention including indicated surgery for neonates with congenital anomalies.

Discharge planning of the preterm infant.

"When will my baby come home?" is one of the most common questions asked by parents of preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). While the hospital course varies based on the gestational age at birth and the attainment of "physiological maturity," the aim of this statement is to provide guidance for the safe discharge of infants born before 37 weeks. The discharge process should start at the time of admission to NICU, and with a plan for assessing physiological markers including thermoregulation, control of breathing, respiratory stability, and adequate weight gain as an indication of feeding skills. Importantly, the infant's family unit is a crucial part of the care team and their involvement in the NICU will promote confidence, decrease anxiety, increase resilience, and help ensure a safe discharge environment.

Guideline No. 424: Umbilical Cord Management in Preterm and Term Infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of deferred (delayed) cord clamping (DCC) and umbilical cord milking in singleton and twin gestations on maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. TARGET POPULATION: People who are pregnant with preterm or term singletons or twins. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS: In preterm singletons, DCC for (ideally) 60 to 120 seconds, but at least for 30 seconds, reduces infant risk of mortality and morbidity. DCC in preterm twins is associated with some benefits. In term singletons, DCC for 60 seconds improves hematological parameters. In very preterm infants, umbilical cord milking increases risk for intraventricular hemorrhage. EVIDENCE: Searches of Medline, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to March 2020 were undertaken using Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and key words related to deferred cord clamping and umbilical cord milking. This document represents an abstraction of the evidence rather than a methodological review. VALIDATION METHODS: The authors rated the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. See online Appendix A (Tables A1 for definitions and A2 for interpretations of strong and conditional [weak] recommendations). INTENDED USERS: Maternity and newborn care providers.

Directive clinique no 424 : Prise en charge du cordon ombilical chez le nourrisson prématuré ou à terme.

OBJECTIF: Évaluer l'effet du clampage retardé du cordon et de la traite du cordon ombilical sur les risques de mortalité et de morbidité maternelles et néonatales en contexte de grossesses monofœtale ou gémellaire. POPULATION CIBLE: Femmes enceintes dont la grossesse monofœtale ou gémellaire est à terme ou avant terme. BéNéFICES, RISQUES ET COûTS: Chez les prématurés de grossesse monofœtale, le clampage retardé de 60 à 120 secondes idéalement, mais d'au moins 30 secondes, réduit le risque de mortalité et de morbidité. Chez les jumeaux prématurés, le clampage retardé est associé à certains bénéfices. Chez les nourrissons de grossesse monofœtale à terme, le clampage retardé de 60 secondes améliore les paramètres hématologiques. Chez les grands prématurés, la traite du cordon ombilical augmente le risque d'hémorragie intraventriculaire. DONNéES PROBANTES: Une recherche a été effectuée au moyen des bases de données Medline, PubMed, Embase et Cochrane Library, de leur création jusqu'à mars 2020, à partir de termes MeSH et de mots clés liés au clampage retardé du cordon et à la traite du cordon ombilical. Le présent document est un résumé des données probantes et non pas une revue méthodologique. MéTHODES DE VALIDATION: Les auteurs ont évalué la qualité des données probantes et la force des recommandations en utilisant le cadre méthodologique d'évaluation, de développement et d'évaluation (GRADE). Voir l'annexe A en ligne (tableau A1 pour les définitions et tableau A2 pour l'interprétation des recommandations fortes et conditionnelles [faibles]). PROFESSIONNELS CIBLES: Fournisseurs de soins de maternité et néonataux.

Scoping review of evidence for managing postnatal hypoglycaemia.

OBJECTIVES: To identify what is known empirically about the screening, treatment and harm of exposure to neonatal hypoglycaemia. DESIGN: Scoping review that applied a preregistered protocol based on established frameworks. DATA SOURCES: Medline and Embase, up to 12 May 2020. STUDY SELECTION: Comparative and case-series studies, as well as guidelines, published in English or French, on the topic of immediate inpatient postnatal glucose screening in newborns. DATA GATHERING: Article selection and characterisation were performed in duplicate using predefined data extraction forms specific to primary studies and guidelines. RESULTS: 12 guidelines and 74 primary studies were included. A neurodevelopmental outcome was primary in 32 studies: 30 observational studies followed up posthypoglycaemic, and the 2 intervention studies included 1 randomised controlled trial (RCT) about treatment thresholds. Three other RCTs assessed dextrose gel (two) and oral sucrose (one). 12 of 30 studies that evaluated non-neurodevelopmental primary outcomes were intervention studies. Only one cohort study compared outcomes in screened vs unscreened newborns. The guidelines did not arrive at a consensus definition of postnatal hypoglycaemic, and addressed potential harms of screening more often than primary studies. CONCLUSIONS: The primary literature that informs hypoglycaemia screening is a series of studies that relate neurodevelopmental outcomes to postnatal hypoglycaemia. Further research is needed to better define an optimal threshold for hypoglycaemia that warrants intervention, based on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes and a better delineation of potential screening harms.

Care of the critically ill neonate with hypoxemic respiratory failure and acute pulmonary hypertension: framework for practice based on consensus opinion of neonatal hemodynamics working group.

Circulatory transition after birth presents a critical period whereby the pulmonary vascular bed and right ventricle must adapt to rapidly changing loading conditions. Failure of postnatal transition may present as hypoxemic respiratory failure, with disordered pulmonary and systemic blood flow. In this review, we present the biological and clinical contributors to pathophysiology and present a management framework.

Targeted neonatal echocardiography service in neonatal intensive care in Manitoba, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a targeted neonatal echocardiography (TNE) service on patient management in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Winnipeg, Canada. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of neonates who had TNEs from 2014 to 2019. The primary outcome was the change in clinical management based on TNE recommendation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of the primary outcome. RESULTS: A total of 747 echos were performed on 307 neonates. Patent ductus arteriosus assessment was the most common indication for TNE followed by evaluation of pulmonary hypertension and systemic hemodynamics. TNE led to a change in clinical management following 492 (66%) echos. Mechanical ventilation [Odds ratio (OR) 2.4, 95% CI: 1.7-3.4, P < 0.001) and receiving inhaled nitric oxide (1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-3.0, P = 0.003) were the predictors for the change in clinical management following TNE. CONCLUSION: TNE has enhanced patient care by altering the management of patients in the NICU.

Evaluation of transport-related outcomes for neonatal transport teams with and without physicians.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate if the presence of a physician in the neonatal transport team (NTT) affects transport-related outcomes and procedural success. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching. SETTING: Canadian national study. PATIENTS: Neonatal transports from nontertiary centres between January 2014 and December 2017. INTERVENTIONS: Comparison of transports conducted by NTTs with physicians (MD Group) and without physicians (noMD Group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the change in patient acuity as measured by the transport risk index of physiologic severity (TRIPS) score. Secondary outcomes included mortality within 24 hours of NICU admission, clinical complications during transport, procedural success, and stabilization time. RESULTS: Among 9,703 eligible cases, 899 neonatal transports attended by NTTs with physicians were compared to 899 neonatal transports without physicians using propensity score matching. No differences were seen in the improvement of TRIPS score or mortality ≤24 hours of NICU admission. The MD Group had more clinical complications (7.7% versus 5.0%, P=0.02). No differences were seen in success rates of invasive procedures. The MD Group had shorter stabilization times. In multivariable analysis, the MD Group was not a significant predictor for the improvement in TRIPS score after adjustment for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal transports conducted by teams including physicians compared to teams without physicians, did not have higher improvement in TRIPS scores and had similar success rates for procedures. These results provide insights for the planning of the structure and training of specialized interfacility neonatal transport programs.

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.

Early versus delayed extubation in extremely preterm neonates: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical outcomes associated with extubation timing among extremely preterm neonates. DESIGN/METHODS: Neonates <26 weeks' GA admitted to four tertiary neonatal centers were included if they met predetermined extubation criteria within first postnatal week and classified into early extubation (≤24 h; exposure group) and delayed extubation (>24 h; control group) after meeting extubation criteria. Patients with known severe IVH and/or significant PDA prior to meeting extubation criteria were excluded. RESULTS: Of 197 included infants, 75 were in exposure group. Survival without BPD (aOR 1.26; 95% CI 0.62-2.56; P = 0.52) and survival without severe IVH (aOR 1.98; 95% CI 0.93-4.23; P = 0.08) were not different, adjusted for GA, SNAP, number of surfactant doses and center. CONCLUSIONS: Extubation within 24 h of meeting extubation criteria in neonates <26 weeks' GA was not associated with survival without BPD or survival without severe IVH. However, confounding by indication cannot be ruled out without a prospective trial.