Neonatal Antibiotic Treatment Can Affect Stool Pattern and Oral Tolerance in Preterm Infants.

Preterm neonates are at high risk of infectious and inflammatory diseases which require antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics influence neonatal gut microbiome development, and intestinal dysbiosis has been associated with delayed gastrointestinal transit. Neonates who take less time to pass meconium have a better tolerance to enteral feeding. We analyzed the effect of neonatal antibiotic treatment on the stool pattern and oral tolerance in 106 preterm infants < 33 weeks gestational age. Neonates were classified in 3 groups according to neonatal antibiotic (ABT) treatment days: no antibiotics, 3−7 d ABT, and ≥8 d ABT. Preterm infants from the ≥8 d ABT group took longer to pass meconium and to start green and yellow stools, took longer to reach 100 and 150 mL/kg/day, and reached reduced volumes in enteral feeds at day of life 14 and 28 than infants from no ABT and 3−7 d ABT groups. Multiple linear regression models showed that neonatal antibiotic treatment, birth weight, invasive mechanical ventilation, surfactant, enteral feeding start day, neonatal parenteral nutrition, and neonatal fasting days are associated with the stool pattern and oral tolerance in preterm infants.

Effect of Oropharyngeal Administration of Colostrum in Premature Newborns ≤32 Weeks of Gestation on the Immune Response and Neonatal Morbidity: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: The mother's colostrum carries immunological components, such as cytokines and immunoglobulins (Igs), derived from the maternal circulation with bacteriostatic properties. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of oropharyngeal administration of colostrum (OPAC) vs. placebo in the first 4 days of life in premature newborns ≤32 weeks of gestation on serum Ig concentration, neonatal morbidity, and total days of hospitalization. Hypothesis: The OPAC increases serum Igs and decreases morbidity and total days of hospitalization. Materials and Methods: A double-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two groups, namely, group 1: placebo (P) (n = 50) and group 2: colostrum (C) (n = 46). A blood sample was obtained at baseline and 7 and 28 days of life to quantify immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and IgM. Results: The C group showed an increase in serum IgA on day 28 expressed as median and [interquartile range]; C: 25 [12-35] vs. P: 11 [8-18], p < 0.001. There were no significant differences in neonatal morbidity. Newborns in the colostrum group showed the completed enteral feeding earlier (days), C: 13.9 ± 7 vs. P: 17.4 ± 8.4, p < 0.04; they reached the birth weight earlier, C: 10.9 ± 2.8 vs. P: 12.9 ± 4, p < 0.01, and had less days of hospitalization, C: 60.2 ± 33.8 vs. P: 77.2 ± 47.3, p < 0.04. Neonatal mortality was lower in the colostrum group than the placebo group 0% vs. 12%, respectively, without a statistical difference (p = 0.06). Conclusion: In premature newborns ≤32 weeks of gestation, the OPAC within 4 days after birth increases serum IgA concentration at day 28 compared to placebo. Similarly, OPAC decreased the days to complete enteral feeding and reach the birth weight and total days of hospitalization. Clinical Trial Registration: [https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03578341], identifier: [NCT03578341].

Evolución clínica y gasométrica en recién nacidos pretérmino en ventilación por volumen / Clinical and gasometric evolution in preterm newborns with volume ventilation

Resumen Antecedentes: La ventilación mecánica continúa siendo una herramienta esencial en el cuidado de los recién nacidos prematuros. Hay evidencia de que la ventilación limitada por volumen (VLV) tiene ventajas sobre ventilación limitada por presión (VLP). Objetivo: Determinar la evolución clínica y gasométrica en los recién nacidos pretérmino en VLV en comparación con VLP. Material y métodos: Fue una investigación observacional y analítica en una unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales, donde se incluyeron 80 recién nacidos ≤ 32 semanas de gestación y ≤ 1,000 g al nacimiento divididos en dos grupos. Resultados: Se observó diferencia estadísticamente significativa en días de ventilación, favoreciendo a VLV (p = 0.002); en las variables hipoxemia e hipocarbia, que son directamente afectadas por el modo ventilatorio, se encontró menor grado de afectación en VLV pero sin diferencia estadística. Se encontró en el grupo de pacientes con VLV menor acidosis respiratoria (p = 0.05) y menor requerimiento de fracción inspirada de oxígeno (FIO2) (p = 0.04). Conclusión: Al igual que la literatura, nuestros resultados comprueban beneficios como disminución de días de ventilación, disminución de acidosis y necesidades menores de FIO2 con el uso de VLV.

Abstract Background: Mechanical ventilation continues to be an essential tool in the care of premature newborns, there is evidence that volume-limited ventilation (VLV) has advantages over pressure-limited ventilation (VLP). Objective: To determine the clinical and gasometric evolution in newborns I preterm VLV compared to VLP. Material and methods: It was an observational and analytical research in a neonatal intensive care unit, where 80 newborns were included ≤ 32 weeks of gestation and ≤ 1000 grams at birth divided into two groups. Results: Statistically significant difference was observed in ventilation days, favouring VLV (p=0.002); in hypoxemia and hypocarbia variables, which are directly affected by ventilatory mode, lower degree of affection was found in VLV but without statistical difference. It was found in the group of patients with VLV lower respiratory acidosis (p=0.05), and lower FIO2 requirements (p=0.04). Conclusion: Like literature, our results prove benefits such as decreased ventilation days, decreased acidosis and lower needs of FIO2 with the use of VLV.

VNFns vs. CPAPn como métodos de extubación y rescate en recién nacidos con dificultad respiratoria / VNFns vs. CPAPn as methods of extubation and rescue in newborns with respiratory distress

Resumen Introducción: La ventilación nasofaríngea no sincronizada (VNFns) y la presión positiva continua de la vía área nasal (CPAPn) son métodos de asistencia ventilatoria no invasiva. Objetivo: Comparar la eficacia de los dos métodos como estrategia de extubación y rescate. Material y métodos: Pacientes que hubiesen estado en alguna de ambas estrategias del 2008 al 2012, categorizándolos como extubación o rescate y midiendo el éxito o fracaso. Resultados: El éxito como estrategia de extubación fue del 83.3% para la VNFns contra el 68.7% de la CPAPn (OR: 2.26). Hubo diferencia para VNFns, en relación con los días de hospitalización, con una media de 38.6 contra 65.4 días (p = 0.0001). En cuanto a la displasia broncopulmonar, hubo disminución de riesgo (OR: 0.64; p = 0.01) para la VNFns. Hubo mayor número de complicaciones para la CPAPn, lesión de la columnela, neumomediastino, neumotórax y sangrado nasal. En la VNFns se presentó con mayor frecuencia la hipocarbia. Conclusión: La VNFns mostró ser una estrategia efectiva y segura, en comparación con la CPAPn.

Abstract Background: Non-synchronized nasopharyngeal ventilation (VNFns) and continuous positive pressure of the nasal airway (CPAPn) are methods of non-invasive ventilatory support. Objective: To compare the efficacy of the two methods as an extubation and rescue strategy. Material and methods: Patients who had been in one of both strategies from 2008 to 2012, categorizing them as extubation or rescue and measuring success or failure. Results: Success as an extubation strategy was 83.3% for VNFns against 68.7% for CPAPn (OR: 2.26). There was a difference for VNFns, in relation to hospitalization days, with a mean of 38.6 versus 65.4 days (p = 0.0001). Regarding bronchopulmonary dysplasia, there was a decreased risk (OR: 0.64; p = 0.01) for VNFns. There was a higher number of complications for CPAPn, columella injury, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax and nasal bleeding. Hypocarbia was more frequent in VNFns. Conclusion: VNFns was shown to be an effective and safe strategy, compared to CPAPn.

Estimating Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis Based on Feeding Practices.

(1) Background: The relationship between enteral nutrition and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) among premature neonates is still unclear. The present work was designed to assess the relationship between NEC and feeding strategies compared to control infants. (2) Methods: A retrospective case-control study of premature infants (<35 weeks' gestation) with or without NEC that examined feeding practices and clinical characteristics at birth and 3, 7, and 14-day hospitalization, with a longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis. (3) Results: A total of 100 newborns with NEC diagnosis and 92 neonates without the disease with similar demographic and clinical characteristics were included. The median day of NEC diagnosis was 15 days (Interquartile Range (IQR) 5-25 days). A significantly higher number of neonates that were fasting on days 7 and 14 developed NEC (p < 0.05). In the longitudinal analysis, generalized linear and mixed models were fit to evaluate NEC association with feeding strategies and showed that exclusive mother's own milk (MM) and fortified human milk (FHM) across time were significantly less likely associated with NEC (p < 0.001) and that enteral fasting was positively related with NEC. In the cross-sectional analysis, a binary logistic regression model was fit and predicted 80.7% of NEC cases. MM was also found to correlate with a reduced risk for NEC (OR 0.148, 95% CI 0.044-0.05, p = 0.02), and in particular, on day 14, several factors were related to a decreased odd for NEC, including birth weight, antenatal steroids, and the use of FHM (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: MM and FHM were associated with less NEC compared to fasting on days 7 and 14. Feeding practices in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) should promote exclusive MM across the two-week critical period as a potential guideline to improve NEC outcome.

Estimation of Neonatal Intestinal Perforation Associated with Necrotizing Enterocolitis by Machine Learning Reveals New Key Factors.

Intestinal perforation (IP) associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the leading causes of mortality in premature neonates; with major nutritional and neurodevelopmental sequelae. Since predicting which neonates will develop perforation is still challenging; clinicians might benefit considerably with an early diagnosis tool and the identification of critical factors. The aim of this study was to forecast IP related to NEC and to investigate the predictive quality of variables; based on a machine learning-based technique. The Back-propagation neural network was used to train and test the models with a dataset constructed from medical records of the NICU; with birth and hospitalization maternal and neonatal clinical; feeding and laboratory parameters; as input variables. The outcome of the models was diagnosis: (1) IP associated with NEC; (2) NEC or (3) control (neither IP nor NEC). Models accurately estimated IP with good performances; the regression coefficients between the experimental and predicted data were R² > 0.97. Critical variables for IP prediction were identified: neonatal platelets and neutrophils; orotracheal intubation; birth weight; sex; arterial blood gas parameters (pCO2 and HCO3); gestational age; use of fortifier; patent ductus arteriosus; maternal age and maternal morbidity. These models may allow quality improvement in medical practice.

Evaluating the quality of the processes of care and clinical outcomes of premature newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care units in Mexico.

OBJECTIVES: To develop quality of care (QoC) indicators, evaluate the quality of the processes of care (QPC) and clinical outcomes, and analyze the association between the QPC and severe clinical outcomes of preterm newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). DESIGN: Mixed methods approach: (1) development of QoC indicators via modified RAND/UCLA method; (2) cross-sectional study of QoC evaluation and (3) multiple logistic regression analysis to ascertain the association between the QPC and severe clinical outcomes. SETTING: Two NICUs belonged to the Mexican Institute of Social Security in Mexico City. PARTICIPANTS: About 489 preterm neonates (<37 weeks of gestation) without severe congenital anomalies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The QoC indicators; ≥60% of recommended QPC and severe clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The QoC included 10 QPC indicators across four domains: respiratory, nutrition and metabolism, infectious diseases, and screening, and five outcome indicators. The lower QPC indicators were for the nutrition and metabolism domain (17.8% started enteral feeding with human milk, and 20.7% received sodium bicarbonate appropriately). The higher QPC indicator was for the screening domain (97.6% of neonates <30 weeks gestation underwent early (≤14 days) transfontanelar ultrasound). The mean recommended QPC that neonates received was 47.5%. Only 26.6% of neonates received ≥60% of recommended QPC. About 60.7% of neonates developed severe clinical outcomes including mortality and healthcare-related major morbidity. Receiving ≥60% of recommended QPC was associated with a decrease of nearly half of odds of severe clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the QoC in NICUs is essential to address modifiable gaps in quality.

Morbilidad del recién nacido prematuro tardío durante su primer mes de vida comparado con el recién nacido de término / Late premature newborn, morbidity in the first month of life compared with term infants

Introducción: En los últimos años ha habido un incremento de recién nacidos cercanos a término; esta prematurez tardía se asocia con un aumento en la morbilidad y mortalidad neonatal, por lo que es interesante conocer las diferencias en la morbilidad de este grupo de pacientes, en comparación con los recién nacidos a término. Objetivo: Evaluar la morbimortalidad temprana y durante el primer mes de vida del prematuro tardío en comparación con el recién nacido a término. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio comparativo de dos cohortes de recién nacidos. Grupo 1: recién nacidos prematuros tardíos de 34 a 36.6 semanas de gestación, y Grupo 2: recién nacidos a término. Se compararon 15 variables relacionadas a morbimortalidad. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva, para la comparación entre grupos t de Student y para comparar la morbilidad se determinó el riesgo relativo con el 95% de intervalo de confianza. Resultados: Se incluyeron 59 prematuros tardíos y 69 nacidos a término. De los factores maternos estudiados no hubo diferencias significativas. Respecto a los neonatos, existió un mayor riesgo del prematuro tardío para hiperbilirrubinemia (OR: 1.7 con IC 95% 1.1-2.65, reflujo gastroesofágico 1.8 con IC 95% 1.1-2.9 y dificultad en la alimentación (OR 1.66 con IC 95% 1.14-2.4). Conclusiones: Los riesgos de morbilidad encontrados en el prematuro tardío son aquellos que se presentan por su propia prematurez. No se encontró morbilidad en el prematuro tardío, secundaria a patología materna asociada.

Introduction: In recent years there has been an increase in the number of births of infants near term; this late prematurity is associated with increased neonatal morbidity and mortality, so it is important to know the differences in morbidity in this group of patients compared with term newborns, during the first month of life. Objective: To evaluate the early morbidity and during the first month of life of late preterm compared with term infants. Material and methods: We performed a comparative study of two cohorts of infants. Cohort 1: Late preterm infants from 34 to 36.6 weeks of gestation and Cohort 2; term infants. The morbidity was recorded during the first month of life, 15 variables were measure. We used descriptive statistic, for comparison between groups Student's t and to compare morbidity between groups the relative risk with 95% confidence interval. Results: We included 59 late preterm and 69 term infants. Of the maternal factors studied no statistically significant difference was found; respect to neonatal morbidity, we identified a great risk in the late preterm risk for hyperbilirubinemia (OR 1.7, CI 95% 1.1-2.65), gastroesophageal reflux (OR 1.8, CI 95% 1.1-289) and feeding difficulties (OR: 1.66, CI 95% 1.14-2.42). Conclusions: The risk of morbidity in late preterm found are those related to their own prematurity. In this study, there was no pathology associated with maternal morbidity in late preterm.

Puntas nasales versus cámara cefálica: en el retiro de fase II de ventilación (CPAPN o VNF), en recién nacidos prematuros en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales / Nasal prongs versus oxygen hood: success or failure to retire phase II of ventilation (NCPAP o NPV), in premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Objetivo: Comparar la utilidad de las puntas nasales versus cámara cefálica como método de fase I de ventilación, posterior al retiro de la presión continua de la vía aérea nasal o ventilación nasofaríngea, fase II de ventilación, en recién nacidos prematuros menores de 37 semanas de edad gestacional. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio comparativo, prospectivo, longitudinal y analítico de dos cohortes de recién nacidos pretérmino, en retiro de la fase II de ventilación y que requirieron oxígeno suplementario, el cual se administró por puntas nasales o cámara cefálica. Se incluyeron pacientes estables por clínica y gasometría, se evaluó la presencia de apnea, deterioro clínico y el mantenimiento o necesidad de regreso a la fase II de ventilación. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó χ² para las variables cualitativas y t de Student para variables cuantitativas. Se obtuvieron riesgos relativos. Resultados: Se compararon 33 pacientes en puntas nasales y 34 en cámara cefálica; no existió diferencia estadística en relación al sexo, peso, edad gestacional, modo de ventilación de fase II, ni patologías que indicaran el uso de ventilación. No hubo diferencias en la saturación de O2, eventos de hiperoxigenación, eventos de apnea, parámetros gasométricos, presión arterial, temperatura y frecuencia cardiaca a las 48 y 72 horas de evaluación. Los efectos adversos fueron más frecuentes en el grupo de puntas nasales, 48.5 versus 11.8% para cámara cefálica (p = 0.003). Los niños con puntas nasales tuvieron un éxito del 84.8% de permanecer en la fase I, en comparación con el 58.8% de los niños en cámara cefálica (RR 0.36 con IC 95% 0.14 a 0.9). Conclusiones: Se encontró una proporción menor de fracaso en el retiro de la presión continua de la vía aérea nasal o ventilación nasofaríngea (fase II de ventilación) con el uso de puntas nasales en comparación a la cámara cefálica, pero la primera modalidad de ventilación tuvo un número mayor de complicaciones.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of nasal prongs versus oxygen hood as respiratory support after the retirement of nasal continuous airway pressure or nasopharyngeal ventilation (respiratory support phase II), in newborn < 37 weeks of gestation. Materials and methods: We performed a comparative, prospective, longitudinal and analytical study of preterm babies during the retirement of the second phase of the respiratory support that required supplementary oxygen by nasal prongs or oxygen hood. Patients included were clinically stables with normal blood gases. They were under observation to detect apneas or clinical deterioration of the respiratory status to evaluate the need to return to phase II of respiratory support. Quantitative variables were compared using t Student test and the qualitative ones with χ² test. Relative risks were calculated. Results: We compared 33 newborns in nasal prongs versus 34 in oxygen hood. There were not statistical differences among sex, weight, gestational age, strategy of phase II respiratory support or the respiratory diagnosis. There were no clinical differences in the oxygen saturation, events of hyper oxygenation, events of apnea, blood gases concentrations, blood pressure, temperature and heart rate at 48 and 72 hours pf evaluation. Nasal lesions were predominant in the group of nasal prongs 48.5 versus 11.8% with the oxygen hood (p = 0.003). Nasal prongs success to be on phase I of respiratory support was 84.8 versus 58.8% in the oxygen hood (RR 0.36, IC 95% 0.14 to 0.9). Conclusions: Nasal prongs was more effective to avoid failure in the retirement of the phase II of respiratory support, but they were associated with an increment in the frequency of nasal lesions.