Physical fitness trajectories from childhood to adolescence in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Cohort studies on physical fitness (PF) in former extremely preterm children are scarce and yield conflicting results. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect of extremely preterm birth on PF in school-age with a focus on bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). METHODS: Eighty school-aged children were enrolled in the longitudinal cohort study. Fifty were born extremely preterm (

Noninvasive ventilation for respiratory distress syndrome is a potential risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity : Single Slovenian tertiary center study.

Retinopathy of prematurity (nROP) among extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGAN) in Slovenia has increased in recent years. At the same time mortality has further decreased and less invasive approaches for treatment of respiratory distress syndrome have been established. With the aim to study the possible association between the incidence of ROP and the duration of noninvasive ventilation, this retrospective study comprised ELGANs born during the first period (2010/2011), when invasive respiratory support was the prevalent method and in the second period (2015/2016), when noninvasive respiratory support was adopted. The results showed that the duration of noninvasive ventilation is a potential risk factor for ROP. Controlling for known risk factors for ROP and then adjusting for gestational age, number of transfusions and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), the odds of ROP were 1.22 times greater (95% confidence interval, CI 1.01-1.48) with every additional week of noninvasive ventilation (p = 0.03).

Phenotype characterisation of TBX4 mutation and deletion carriers with neonatal and paediatric pulmonary hypertension.

Rare variants in the T-box transcription factor 4 gene (TBX4) have recently been recognised as an emerging cause of paediatric pulmonary hypertension (PH). Their pathophysiology and contribution to persistent pulmonary hypertension in neonates (PPHN) are unknown. We sought to define the spectrum of clinical manifestations and histopathology associated with TBX4 variants in neonates and children with PH.We assessed clinical data and lung tissue in 19 children with PH, including PPHN, carrying TBX4 rare variants identified by next-generation sequencing and copy number variation arrays.Variants included six 17q23 deletions encompassing the entire TBX4 locus and neighbouring genes, and 12 likely damaging mutations. 10 infants presented with neonatal hypoxic respiratory failure and PPHN, and were subsequently discharged home. PH was diagnosed later in infancy or childhood. Three children died and two required lung transplantation. Associated anomalies included patent ductus arteriosus, septal defects, foot anomalies and developmental disability, the latter with a higher prevalence in deletion carriers. Histology in seven infants showed abnormal distal lung development and pulmonary hypertensive remodelling.TBX4 mutations and 17q23 deletions underlie a new form of developmental lung disease manifesting with severe, often biphasic PH at birth and/or later in infancy and childhood, often associated with skeletal anomalies, cardiac defects, neurodevelopmental disability and other anomalies.

Effects of Perinatal Factors on Body Mass Index and Physical Fitness of School-age Children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of various maternal and neonatal perinatal factors on the child's body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness at school-age. METHODS: Data from two registries, the SLOfit database (a national surveillance system of children's motor and physical development) and Slovenian National Perinatal Information System (NPIS) were analysed. Perinatal data for 2,929 children born in 2008 were linked to results of SLOfit testing of these children in 2016. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the potential relationship between several perinatal factors (very preterm birth, birth mass, maternal age, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, parity, plurality, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, mode of delivery, presentation, Apgar score at 5 minutes, and admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)) and child's BMI or child's physical fitness index (PFI) at the age of eight years. We also included child's school grade and maternal educational level in the analysis. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Children born to mothers with lower pre-pregnancy BMI and higher education had lower BMI and higher PFI (p<0.001) at school-age. Physical fitness was also inversely associated with nulliparity (p<0.001) and NICU admission (p=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Among all perinatal factors studied, higher maternal education and lower pre-pregnancy BMI seem to be the most significant determinants of child's BMI and physical fitness at school-age.

Timing of elective cesarean section and neonatal morbidity: a population-based study.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of neonatal complications related to gestational age at elective cesarean section near term. METHODS: We used a population-based dataset to compare neonatal outcomes by gestational age in uncomplicated singleton pregnancies delivered by elective cesarean section ≥37 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 7364 mothers had an elective cesarean during 2002-2012; 343 (4.7%) at 37, 21 753 (3.8%) at 38, 3140 (2.6%) at 39, 1718 (23.3%) at 40 and 410 (5.6%) at ≥41 weeks. Infants born at a lower gestational age had a higher rate of Apgar scores <7 (2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0,3%, 0.2% at 37, 38, 39, 40 and ≥41 week, p = 0.013), hypoglycemia (1.5%, 1.0%, 0.8%, 0.4%, 0.5% at 37, 38, 39, 40 and ≥ 41 week, p = 0.012), hyperbilirubinemia (12.2%, 9.5%, 6.4%, 4.8%, 4.1% at 37, 38, 39, 40 and ≥ 41 week, p < 0.001), respiratory distress syndrome (5.5%, 2.2%, 1.6%, 0.5%, 0.7% at 37, 38, 39, 40 and ≥ 41 week, p < 0.001), and neonatal intensive care admissions (8.7%, 2.3%, 1.9%, 1.0%, 1.7% at 37, 38, 39, 40 and ≥ 41 week, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Elective cesarean section at ≥ 39 weeks gestation would significantly reduce neonatal complications.

A comparison of respiratory patterns in healthy term infants placed in car safety seats and beds.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work was to compare the incidence of apnea, hypopnea, bradycardia, or oxygen desaturation in healthy term newborns placed in hospital cribs, infant car safety beds, or infant car safety seats. METHODS: A consecutive series of 200 newborns was recruited on the second day of life. Each subject was studied while placed in the hospital crib (30 minutes), car bed (60 minutes), and car seat (60 minutes). Physiologic data, including oxygen saturation, frequency, and type of apnea, hypopnea, and bradycardia were obtained and analyzed in a blinded manner. RESULTS: The mean oxygen saturation level was significantly different among all of the positions (97.9% for the hospital crib, 96.3% for the car bed, and 95.7% for the car seat; P < .001). The mean minimal oxygen saturation level was lower while in both safety devices (83.7% for the car bed and 83.6% for the car seat) compared with in the hospital crib (87.4%) (P < .001). The mean total time spent with an oxygen saturation level of <95% was significantly higher (P = .003) in both safety devices (car seat: 23.9%; car bed: 17.2%) when compared with the hospital crib (6.5%). A second study of 50 subjects in which each infant was placed in each position for 120 minutes yielded similar results. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy term newborns, significant desaturations were observed in both car beds and car seats as compared with hospital cribs. This study was limited by lack of documentation of sleep stage. Therefore, these safety devices should only be used for protection during travel and not as replacements for cribs.

Intrauterine inflammation and the onset of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants.

BACKGROUND: Peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (P/IVH) is a common neonatal morbidity among premature infants. The aim of the study was to examine the association between placental and/or fetal inflammation and the onset of P/IVH in premature infants. METHODS: A prospective study included 125 infants with gestational age 23-29 weeks. Placentas were examined for the presence of chorioamnionitis and funisitis, cord blood was sampled for the measurement of cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8). Fetal inflammation was defined as levels of IL-6 higher than 7.6 pg/ml. P/IVH was defined as early if diagnosed within the 1st day after birth; thereafter P/IVH was defined as late. RESULTS: Adjusted for the influence of gestational age, early-onset sepsis (OR 3.2, p = 0.045) and no or incomplete antenatal steroid course (OR 6.0, p = 0.001) significantly predicted early P/IVH. Funisitis (OR 1.6, p = 0.06) and fetal inflammation (OR 2.6, p = 0.06) were only partially associated with early hemorrhage. Contrary to that, respiratory distress syndrome (OR 3.4, p = 0.04), mechanical ventilation (OR 5.9, p = 0.008), low blood pressure (OR 3.5, p = 0.02), and vasopressors (OR 5.7, p = 0.002) were associated with late P/IVH. In multivariate analysis no or incomplete steroid course remained independent predictors for early and use of vasopressors for late P/IVH. The interaction of fetal inflammation and vaginal delivery with no or incomplete steroid course increased the risk of early P/IVH. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate different risk factors for early and late P/IVH. Neither funisitis nor fetal inflammation independently predicts the onset of P/IVH. However, the interaction of fetal inflammation and vaginal delivery with no or incomplete antenatal steroid course increase the risk of early but not also late P/IVH.