Cerebral Oximetry Monitoring in Extremely Preterm Infants.

BACKGROUND: The use of cerebral oximetry monitoring in the care of extremely preterm infants is increasing. However, evidence that its use improves clinical outcomes is lacking. METHODS: In this randomized, phase 3 trial conducted at 70 sites in 17 countries, we assigned extremely preterm infants (gestational age, <28 weeks), within 6 hours after birth, to receive treatment guided by cerebral oximetry monitoring for the first 72 hours after birth or to receive usual care. The primary outcome was a composite of death or severe brain injury on cerebral ultrasonography at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age. Serious adverse events that were assessed were death, severe brain injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, and late-onset sepsis. RESULTS: A total of 1601 infants underwent randomization and 1579 (98.6%) were evaluated for the primary outcome. At 36 weeks' postmenstrual age, death or severe brain injury had occurred in 272 of 772 infants (35.2%) in the cerebral oximetry group, as compared with 274 of 807 infants (34.0%) in the usual-care group (relative risk with cerebral oximetry, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.90 to 1.18; P = 0.64). The incidence of serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In extremely preterm infants, treatment guided by cerebral oximetry monitoring for the first 72 hours after birth was not associated with a lower incidence of death or severe brain injury at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age than usual care. (Funded by the Elsass Foundation and others; SafeBoosC-III ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03770741.).

Extremely Preterm Infant Admissions Within the SafeBoosC-III Consortium During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Objective: To evaluate if the number of admitted extremely preterm (EP) infants (born before 28 weeks of gestational age) differed in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of the SafeBoosC-III consortium during the global lockdown when compared to the corresponding time period in 2019. Design: This is a retrospective, observational study. Forty-six out of 79 NICUs (58%) from 17 countries participated. Principal investigators were asked to report the following information: (1) Total number of EP infant admissions to their NICU in the 3 months where the lockdown restrictions were most rigorous during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) Similar EP infant admissions in the corresponding 3 months of 2019, (3) the level of local restrictions during the lockdown period, and (4) the local impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the everyday life of a pregnant woman. Results: The number of EP infant admissions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was 428 compared to 457 in the corresponding 3 months in 2019 (-6.6%, 95% CI -18.2 to +7.1%, p = 0.33). There were no statistically significant differences within individual geographic regions and no significant association between the level of lockdown restrictions and difference in the number of EP infant admissions. A post-hoc analysis based on data from the 46 NICUs found a decrease of 10.3%in the total number of NICU admissions (n = 7,499 in 2020 vs. n = 8,362 in 2019). Conclusion: This ad hoc study did not confirm previous reports of a major reduction in the number of extremely pretermbirths during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrial.gov, identifier: NCT04527601 (registered August 26, 2020), https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04527601.

Hemodynamic effects of fluid restriction in preterm infants with significant patent ductus arteriosus.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the hemodynamic impact of fluid restriction in preterm newborns with significant patent ductus arteriosus. STUDY DESIGN: Newborns ≥24 and <32 weeks' gestational age with significant patent ductus arteriosus were eligible for this prospective multicenter observational study. We recorded hemodynamic and Doppler echocardiographic variables before and 24 hours after fluid restriction. RESULTS: Eighteen newborns were included (gestational age 24.8 ± 1.1 weeks, birth weight 850 ± 180 g). Fluid intake was decreased from 145 ± 15 to 108 ± 10 mL/kg/d. Respiratory variables, fraction of inspired oxygen, blood gas values, ductus arteriosus diameter, blood flow-velocities in ductus arteriosus, in the left pulmonary artery and in the ascending aorta, and the left atrial/aortic root ratio were unchanged after fluid restriction. Although systemic blood pressure did not change, blood flow in the superior vena cava decreased from 105 ± 40 to 61 ± 25 mL/kg/min (P < .001). The mean blood flow-velocity in the superior mesenteric artery was lower 24 hours after starting fluid restriction. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support the hypothesis that fluid restriction has beneficial effects on pulmonary or systemic hemodynamics in preterm newborns.

Clinical, hormonal and imaging findings in 27 children with central diabetes insipidus.

UNLABELLED: Clinical, auxological, biological and neuroradiological characteristics of 27 children with central diabetes insipidus (CDI) were retrospectively analysed. Median age at diagnosis was 8.6 years (range: 0.3-16.1 years). Final aetiologies were postsurgical infundibulo-hypophyseal impairment (n=7), cerebral tumour (n=8), Langerhans cell histiocytosis (n=3), septo-optic dysplasia (n=1), ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia clefting syndrome (n=1), and idiopathic (n=7). In the non-postsurgical CDI patients, major cumulative and often subtle presenting manifestations were: polyuria (n=20), polydipsia (n=19), fatigue (n=11), nycturia (n=10), growth retardation (n=9), and headache (n=9). An associated antehypophyseal insufficiency, mainly somatotropic, was documented in 11 children. All patients except one who initially had a cerebral tomography, underwent magnetic resonance imaging revealing the lack of the physiological posterior pituitary hyperintense signal. One third of the idiopathic patients initially had a thickened pituitary stalk. All patients with idiopathic CDI were intensively followed up with 3-monthly physical examination, antehypophyseal evaluation, search for tumour markers, and cerebral MRI every 6 months. In one of them the pituitary stalk had normalized after 4.3 years. In one patient Langerhans cell histiocytosis was diagnosed after 7 months of follow-up, and in another patient a malignant teratoma was found after 2.4 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: CDI may be the early sign of an evolving cerebral process. The association of polyuria-polydipsia should incite a complete endocrine evaluation and a meticulous MRI evaluation of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal region. A rigorous clinical and neuroradiologic follow-up is mandatory to rule out an evolving cerebral process and to detect associated antehypophyseal insufficiencies.