Comparison of microparticle transport and deposition in nasal cavity of three different age groups.

Objective: The nasal cavity effectively captures the particles present in inhaled air, thereby preventing harmful and toxic pollutants from reaching the lungs. This filtering ability of the nasal cavity can be effectively utilized for targeted nasal drug delivery applications. This study aims to understand the particle deposition patterns in three age groups: neonate, infant, and adult.Materials and methods: The CT scans are built using MIMICS 21.0, followed by CATIA V6 to generate a patient-specific airway model. Fluid flow is simulated using ANSYS FLUENT 2021 R2. Spherical monodisperse microparticles ranging from 2 to 60 µm and a density of 1100 kg/m3 are simulated at steady-state and sedentary inspiration conditions.Results: The highest nasal valve depositions for the neonate are 25% for 20 µm, for infants, 10% for 50 µm, 15% for adults, and 15% for 15 µm. At mid nasal region, deposition of 15% for 20 µm is observed for infant and 8% for neonate and adult nasal cavities at a particle size of 10 and 20 µm, respectively. The highest particle deposition at the olfactory region is about 2.7% for the adult nasal cavity for 20 µm, and it is <1% for neonate and infant nasal cavities.Discussion and conclusions: The study of preferred nasal depositions during natural sedentary breathing conditions is utilized to determine the size that allows medication particles to be targeted to specific nose regions.

Genetic and phenotypic landscape of pediatric-onset epilepsy in 142 Indian families: Counseling and therapeutic implications.

The application of genomic technologies has led to unraveling of the complex genetic landscape of disorders of epilepsy, gaining insights into their underlying disease mechanisms, aiding precision medicine, and providing informed genetic counseling. We herein present the phenotypic and genotypic insights from 142 Indian families with epilepsy with or without comorbidities. Based on the electroclinical findings, epilepsy syndrome diagnosis could be made in 44% (63/142) of the families adopting the latest proposal for the classification by the ILAE task force (2022). Of these, 95% (60/63) of the families exhibited syndromes with developmental epileptic encephalopathy or progressive neurological deterioration. A definitive molecular diagnosis was achieved in 74 of 142 (52%) families. Infantile-onset epilepsy was noted in 81% of these families (61/74). Fifty-five monogenic, four chromosomal, and one imprinting disorder were identified in 74 families. The genetic variants included 65 (96%) single-nucleotide variants/small insertion-deletions, 1 (2%) copy-number variant, and 1 (2%) triplet-repeat expansion in 53 epilepsy-associated genes causing monogenic disorders. Of these, 35 (52%) variants were novel. Therapeutic implications were noted in 51% of families (38/74) with definitive diagnosis. Forty-one out of 66 families with monogenic disorders exhibited autosomal recessive and inherited autosomal dominant disorders with high risk of recurrence.

Chronic diarrhoea due to trichohepatoenteric syndrome (THES) in an infant.

An infant was admitted with suspected postinfectious malabsorption with watery diarrhoea, fever and failure to thrive. She had dehydration, acute kidney injury and metabolic acidosis, which were corrected with intravenous fluids and managed with empiric antibiotics and prophylactic antifungals. She also developed Escherichia coli sepsis, meningitis and Candida skin infections during hospitalisation, which were treated according to the culture reports. Intrauterine growth restriction, woolly hair and a broad nasal bridge with chronic refractory diarrhoea prompted genetic testing to rule out syndromic diarrhoea. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a pathogenic compound heterozygous mutation causing trichohepatoenteric syndrome. She succumbed to severe infections at 80 days of life. The condition is rare, and no established guidelines or specific treatments exist; the focus is to promote optimal growth through parenteral nutrition, elemental formula and infection control. Early suspicion and molecular genetic testing can help reduce the time to diagnosis, treatment and genetic counselling.

Comparative Growth Outcomes in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Evaluating Different Feeding Strategies.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the growth pattern of preterm, very low birth weight (VLBW) appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants on three different feeding regimens. METHODS: This prospective open label three-arm parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted at neonatal intensive care unit, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal. One hundred twenty VLBW (weight between 1000-1500 g and gestational age 28-32 wk) preterm AGA infants admitted from April 2021 through September 2022 were included. Three feeding regimens were compared: Expressed breast milk (EBM); EBM supplemented with Human milk fortifier (HMF); EBM supplemented with Preterm formula feed (PTF). Primary outcome measure was assessing the growth parameters such as weight, length, head circumference on three different feeding regimens at birth 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 wk/discharge. Secondary outcomes included incidence of co-morbidities and cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: Of 112 infants analyzed, Group 2 supplemented with HMF showed superior growth outcomes by 6th wk/discharge of intervention, with mean weight of 2053±251 g, mean length of 44.6±1.9 cm, and mean head circumference of 32.9±1.4 cm. However, infants in Group 3, supplemented with PTF, registered mean weight of 1968±203 g, mean length of 43.6±2.0 cm, and mean head circumference of 32.0±1.6 cm. Infants exclusively on EBM presented with mean weight of 1873±256 g, mean length of 43.0±2.0 cm and mean head circumference of 31.4±1.6 cm. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of 1 g of HMF to 25 ml of EBM in neonates weighing 1000-1500 g showed better weight gain and head circumference at 6 wk/discharge, which was statistically significant. However, no significant differences in these parameters were observed at postnatal or 2, 3, 4, and 5 wk.

Standardizing Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling of Postmortem Brain Using Bard Monopty Needle in Newborns with Neurological Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Minimally invasive tissue sampling of the brain in newborns using the Bard Monopty needle helps to diagnose various neurological conditions by obtaining relevant brain cores. We designed a modified procedure to provide maximum diagnostic utility in brain tissue biopsies. METHOD: Twenty newborns underwent postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling of the brain through the anterior fontanelle and posterior approach, using the engraved lines on the needle labeled from mark 0 to 13. The cores were correlated with conventional autopsy findings. RESULTS: Meninges were best obtained at marks 0 and 1 from the anterior fontanelle and mark 1 from posterior fontenelle in 85% of cases. Periventricular brain parenchyma was best obtained from mark 3 and mark 1 from anterior and posterior fontanel, respectively in 90% cases. The sampling success in obtaining brain cores was 100%. DISCUSSION: This modified technique increases the yield of meninges and brain tissue in newborns and aids in diagnosis.

Stress and stressors experienced by the parents of high-risk neonates admitted in neonatal intensive care unit: Systematic review and meta-analysis evidence available from India.

The aim of the systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the stress and stressors experienced by the parents of high-risk neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in India. We included both quantitative and qualitative studies. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist and Critical Appraisal Skill Programme checklist were used to assess the quality of included studies. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, ProQuest, Microsoft Academic, DOAJ, Indian Citation Index, and J-Gate to identify relevant studies. Additionally, online hand searching was performed on Indian websites of relevant institutions, women and child health departments, repositories, registries, and paediatric journals. Twelve of the 21 quantitative studies found that maternal stress was higher than fathers due to the separation from their babies and the medical condition of the neonate. One qualitative study reported that financial burden, alterations in the parenting role, and concern over domestic issues are significant causes of fathers' stress. A meta-analysis of the included studies assessed the prevalence of maternal, paternal, and parental stress and reported that mothers experienced higher stress levels than fathers across all subscales. The most typical stressors for parents were changes in neonatal looks, behaviour, and altered parental roles. Beyond the immediate NICU care and interactions, other triggering factors of stress among parents must be considered to design multicomponent interventions in a local (Indian) context. Moreover, parental psychological support and regular counselling can be incorporated into the standard neonatal intensive care policy.

Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of the Neonatal Nurse Navigator Program on Maternal Stress and Neonatal Cortisol Levels.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of the Neonatal Nurse Navigator Program (NNNP) compared to usual care on maternal stress and neonatal salivary cortisol level (SCL) in the NICU. DESIGN: Randomized control trial. SETTING: NICU in a tertiary health care hospital in Manipal, Udupi District, Karnataka, India. PARTICIPANTS: Neonates between 34 and 36 weeks gestation and their mothers (N = 120 dyads). METHODS: We used block randomization to assign dyads to the intervention or control group. We measured maternal stress using the Parental Stress Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and we estimated neonatal stress by measuring SCLs within 24 hours of NICU admission and before discharge from the unit. We conducted a descriptive analysis on participant characteristics and reported maternal stress levels using means and standard deviations. We used the analysis of covariance change score test to determine the difference in maternal and neonatal stress levels between the intervention and control groups. RESULTS: The NNNP group exhibited significantly lower maternal stress scores before discharge than the control group, and we observed reductions across all three subscales of the Parental Stress Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Mean neonatal salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower in the interventional group than in the control group, F(1.117) = 24.03, 95% confidence interval [7.9, 18.6], p < .001. CONCLUSION: Use of the NNNP reduced maternal stress SCLs in high-risk neonates by actively engaging mothers in the care of their neonates in the NICU. We recommend adoption of the NNNP model as a standard care policy in NICUs throughout India.

De novo variants underlying monogenic syndromes with intellectual disability in a neurodevelopmental cohort from India.

The contribution of de novo variants as a cause of intellectual disability (ID) is well established in several cohorts reported from the developed world. However, the genetic landscape as well as the appropriate testing strategies for identification of de novo variants of these disorders remain largely unknown in low-and middle-income countries like India. In this study, we delineate the clinical and genotypic spectrum of 54 families (55 individuals) with syndromic ID harboring rare de novo variants. We also emphasize on the effectiveness of singleton exome sequencing as a valuable tool for diagnosing these disorders in resource limited settings. Overall, 46 distinct disorders were identified encompassing 46 genes with 51 single-nucleotide variants and/or indels and two copy-number variants. Pathogenic variants were identified in CREBBP, TSC2, KMT2D, MECP2, IDS, NIPBL, NSD1, RIT1, SOX10, BRWD3, FOXG1, BCL11A, KDM6B, KDM5C, SETD5, QRICH1, DCX, SMARCD1, ASXL1, ASXL3, AKT3, FBN2, TCF12, WASF1, BRAF, SMARCA4, SMARCA2, TUBG1, KMT2A, CTNNB1, DLG4, MEIS2, GATAD2B, FBXW7, ANKRD11, ARID1B, DYNC1H1, HIVEP2, NEXMIF, ZBTB18, SETD1B, DYRK1A, SRCAP, CASK, L1CAM, and KRAS. Twenty-four of these monogenic disorders have not been previously reported in the Indian population. Notably, 39 out of 53 (74%) disease-causing variants are novel. These variants were identified in the genes mainly encoding transcriptional and chromatin regulators, serine threonine kinases, lysosomal enzymes, molecular motors, synaptic proteins, neuronal migration machinery, adhesion molecules, structural proteins and signaling molecules.

Community perceptions of postmortem examination and minimally invasive tissue sampling in neonates:a qualitative study in South India.

BACKGROUND: Postmortem examination is the gold standard for establishing the cause of death. Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) of organs is a novel approach that can be used as an alternative to postmortem examination. In this study, the community perceptions in two states in South India towards neonatal postmortem and the acceptance towards the MITS technique is studied. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted among the participants from Kerala and Karnataka to understand the perception towards postmortem and the acceptance of the novel MITS technique. The interviews were audio recorded, and a thematic analysis was done to identify the overarching themes and codes. RESULTS: The knowledge and attitude of participants on conventional and MITS postmortem techniques, reasons for refusal, and the need for raising awareness were identified in the study. Participants favored the MITS techniques as it was less disfiguring and less time-consuming. The major concerns for refusal of conventional postmortem were that the procedure was disfiguring, time-consuming, and caused emotional stress to the parents. CONCLUSIONS: Participants favored the MITS approach over conventional postmortem as it caused less disfigurement and was conducive to the religious practice of burial of the body.

Supervised machine learning classification of psychosis biotypes based on brain structure: findings from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia network for intermediate phenotypes (B-SNIP).

Traditional diagnostic formulations of psychotic disorders have low correspondence with underlying disease neurobiology. This has led to a growing interest in using brain-based biomarkers to capture biologically-informed psychosis constructs. Building upon our prior work on the B-SNIP Psychosis Biotypes, we aimed to examine whether structural MRI (an independent biomarker not used in the Biotype development) can effectively classify the Biotypes. Whole brain voxel-wise grey matter density (GMD) maps from T1-weighted images were used to train and test (using repeated randomized train/test splits) binary L2-penalized logistic regression models to discriminate psychosis cases (n = 557) from healthy controls (CON, n = 251). A total of six models were evaluated across two psychosis categorization schemes: (i) three Biotypes (B1, B2, B3) and (ii) three DSM diagnoses (schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective (SAD) and bipolar (BD) disorders). Above-chance classification accuracies were observed in all Biotype (B1 = 0.70, B2 = 0.65, and B3 = 0.56) and diagnosis (SZ = 0.64, SAD = 0.64, and BD = 0.59) models. However, the only model that showed evidence of specificity was B1, i.e., the model was able to discriminate B1 vs. CON and did not misclassify other psychosis cases (B2 or B3) as B1 at rates above nominal chance. The GMD-based classifier evidence for B1 showed a negative association with an estimate of premorbid general intellectual ability, regardless of group membership, i.e. psychosis or CON. Our findings indicate that, complimentary to clinical diagnoses, the B-SNIP Psychosis Biotypes may offer a promising approach to capture specific aspects of psychosis neurobiology.

Validated HPLC method for ceftriaxone from dried blood spots for pharmacokinetic studies and therapeutic drug monitoring in neonatal population.

Background: Pharmacokinetic evaluation is essential for the precise dosing of ceftriaxone in neonates. There is a need for developing a sensitive, affordable and convenient analytical method that can estimate ceftriaxone from dried blood spot (DBS) samples of neonates. Method: An HPLC-UV method was developed and validated as per ICH M10 for ceftriaxone from DBS and plasma using an Inertsil-ODS-3V column with gradient elution. DBS samples were extracted with methanol. Clinical validation was performed using neonatal samples. Results: The developed plasma- and DBS-based-HPLC method were linear from 2-700 µg/ml and 2-500 µg/ml, respectively, for ceftriaxone. Bland-Altman analysis indicated a strong interconvertibility between the plasma and DBS assays. Conclusion: Observed concentrations in clinical samples were comparable to the predicted concentrations, proving the clinical validity of the method.

Neonatal meningitis is usually treated with the drug ceftriaxone. It is essential to determine the amount of ceftriaxone in the blood for precise dosing that is safe and effective in newborn children. Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling from a heel prick is a less invasive sample collection method for newborn children than withdrawing blood from a vein. In this study we developed a robust analytical method based on a commonly available analytical platform to measure ceftriaxone in DBS samples. The results of ceftriaxone analysis obtained using the developed DBS-based method were compared with the results of traditional plasma sample analysis to make sure that they are accurate and reproducible. The range of analysis of the method is 2­500 µg/ml, which is suitable for the measurement of ceftriaxone concentration levels in newborns' blood. The effect of varying proportions of red blood cells in whole blood (30­50%) and volume of blood (20­60 µl) applied on the DBS card were not found to influence the results. The method was validated with clinical samples from newborn children and resulted in the expected concentrations. The developed method is affordable and can be used for therapeutic drug monitoring and precise dosing of ceftriaxone in newborn children.

Predictive Performance of Population Pharmacokinetic Models for Amikacin in Term Neonates.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Amikacin is preferred in treating Gram-negative infections in neonates and it has a narrow therapeutic window. The population pharmacokinetic modeling approach can aid in designing optimal dosage regimens for amikacin in neonates. In this study, we attempted to identify the suitable population pharmacokinetic model from the published reports for the study population from an Indian setting. METHODS: Published population pharmacokinetic studies for amikacin in neonates were identified. Data on structural models and typical pharmacokinetic parameters were extracted from the studies. For the clinical study, neonates who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study from the NICU, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, during Jan 2020 to March 2022. Drug concentrations were estimated, and demographic and clinical data were collected. Identified population pharmacokinetic models were used to predict the amikacin concentrations in neonates. Predicted concentrations were compared against the observed concentrations. Differences between predicted and observed concentrations were quantified using statistical measures. The population pharmacokinetic model, which was able to predict the data well, is considered a suitable model for the study population. Dosing regimens were suggested for neonates using the pharmacometric simulation approach generated by the selected model. RESULTS: A total of 43 plasma samples were collected from 31 neonates. Twelve population pharmacokinetic models were found for amikacin in neonates. The predictive performance of the 12 studies was performed using clinical data. A two-compartment model reported by Illamola et al. predicted the amikacin concentrations better than other models. Illamola et al. reported creatinine clearance and body weight as the significant covariates impacting the pharmacokinetic parameters of amikacin. This model was able to predict the clinical data with 29.97% and 0.686 of relative median absolute prediction error and relative root mean square error, respectively, which is the best among the published models. The Illamola et al. model was selected as the final model to perform pharmacometric simulations for the subjects with different combinations of creatinine clearance and body weight. Dosage regimens were designed to attain target therapeutic concentrations for the virtual subjects and a nomogram was developed. CONCLUSIONS: The population pharmacokinetic model reported by the Illamola et al. model was selected as the final model to explain the clinical data with the lowest relative median absolute prediction error and relative root mean square error when compared with other models. An amikacin nomogram was developed for the neonates whose creatinine clearance and body weight ranged between 10 and 90 mL/min and between 2 and 4 kg, respectively. A developed nomogram can assist clinicians to design an optimal dosage regimen of amikacin for term neonates.

Relationship between antibiotic consumption pattern and antibiotic resistance in neonatal sepsis.

Background and aim: Inappropriate use of antibiotics may increase antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among different microorganisms and may lead to treatment failure in neonatal septicemia. The aim of this study was to recognize the most common microorganisms responsible for neonatal sepsis and to evaluate the trend of change of resistance pattern among microorganisms. Methods: This study was done retrospectively on 344 cases diagnosed with neonatal sepsis, including both early and late onset cases, admitted to the tertiary care teaching hospital of southern India from January 2012 to July 2017. Accordingly, 231 culture positive neonatal sepsis cases were collected from hospital data base and analyzed. Culture positive cases within 72 hours of life were termed as early onset while after 72 hours were late onset. Antibiotics utilization during the period was calculated using WHO AMC tool and reported as (DDD)/100 bed days. Results: Klebsiella pneumoniae with 56 (21.8%) and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus with 52 (20.2%) cases were the most frequent isolated organisms which were responsible for 55.8% and 14.6% of deaths among the study subjects respectively. Amikacin (86.7%), vancomycin (52.3%) and ampicillin (40.6%) were the most used antibiotics in terms of DDD/100 bed days. Conclusion: The results obtained from our study have brought substantial information on the antibiotic resistance pattern among microorganisms causing neonatal sepsis. Moreover, results obtained from this study can be used for designing antibiotic stewardship policies to prevent the emergence of resistance and to improve the treatment outcome.

Identification of potential risk factors for the poor prognosis of neonatal sepsis.

Background and aim: Risk factor-based approach is one of the best approaches employed by middle income countries which are not well facility driven for any disease management. Thus, through this approach, we aim to identify the potential risk factors responsible for the poor outcome in neonatal sepsis. Methods: A case control was conducted retrospectively with neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during January 2012 to December 2016. Cases were identified using ICD-10 Code from inpatient medical records and demographic, maternal and neonatal details were collected from the medical files. Logistic regression was performed to identify the risk factors associated with mortality in neonatal sepsis. Results: A total of 613 neonates were found to have culture positive sepsis from the 4690 neonates admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). There was a total of 831 episodes in the 613 neonates. The mortality rate in neonates with sepsis was found to be 25.4%. Extremely low birth weight (OR 6.171, CI 3.475-10.957), extreme preterm (OR 5.761, CI 2.612-12.708), very preterm (OR 2.548, CI 1.607-4.042), preeclampsia (OR 1.671, CI 1.091-2.562), acute renal failure (OR 4.939, CI-2.588-9.426), coagulopathy (OR 2.211, CI-1.486-3.289), septic shock (OR 173.522, CI-23.642-1273.59), thrombocytopenia (OR 5.231, CI-3.310-8.268), leukopenia (OR 2.422, CI- 1.473-3.984), CRP > 24 (OR 2.099, CI-1.263-3.487) and abnormal absolute neutrophil count (OR 2.108, CI-1.451-3.062) were some of the significant predictors, identified through risk-based approach, in assessing mortality in neonatal sepsis. Conclusion: Risk-based approach applied was successful in determining plausible important predictors such like extreme low birth weight, extreme preterm, resistance against gram negative infections, preeclampsia, septic shock, hypotension, leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia in predicting mortality in neonatal sepsis. These potential risk factors, identified through risk- based approach, can play a pivotal role in assisting clinician to make appropriate and judicious decision.

Preventable contributors to the neonatal healthcare-associated infections: a uni-center analytical study from South India.

BACKGROUND: Globally, neonatal healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are known to cause high mortality. HAIs is a preventable condition related to the healthcare environment. The current study explored the contributors to neonatal HAIs in one of the largest tertiary care referral hospitals in South India. METHODS: Neonates from December 2016 to June 2018 were observed for the occurrence of healthcare-associated infections and compared with the matched control group. Various observations on neonatal demography, maternal contributors, and medical procedures were made and recorded to explore and analyse the contributors to neonatal HAIs. Univariate and multivariate analysis was carried out to find the contributors. The Odds ratio with 95% CI was also computed and reported. RESULTS: Bloodstream infection (83%) was prevalent among neonates; the maternal contributor was only preterm labor (Odds ratio of 11.93; 95% CI; 6.47-21.98; p<.05) to acquire HAIs. On univariate analysis, mechanical ventilation for > 3days duration, NIV for > five days, and PICC line insertion procedure were significant (p<0.05) contributors to neonatal HAIs. IV cannulation for more than three times in four consecutive days was found in 100(85%) neonates considered being associated with neonatal HAIs. On multivariate analysis, NIV, PICC line, preterm labor, and low birth weight were significant (p<0.05) contributors to neonatal HAIs. CONCLUSION: The increased duration of invasive and non-invasive therapeutic devices and catheters contributes to neonatal HAIs. Neonates are acquiring bloodstream infections; low birth weight (LBW) neonates are more susceptible to acquiring HAIs.

Efficacy and Utilization Patterns of Anti-Epileptic Drugs in the Management of Neonatal Seizures: A Comparative Exploration.

Background: Management of neonatal seizures with available limited guidelines across different gestation can cause long-term neurological and cognitive impairment. Objectives: To compare utilization and observe the efficacy of anti-epileptic drugs in the treatment of neonatal seizures. The association of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy with NS and the etiology of HIE were also determined. Subjects and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital for a period of one year. It was approved by IEC prior to initiation. Participants: Neonates admitted for seizure management and perinatal asphyxia with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy were included in the study. Both term and preterm 267 neonates from January 2014 to July 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The drugs with the fastest seizure resolution, least recurrence, and readmission rates were considered efficient. Phenobarbitone, levetiracetam, and phenytoin were compared as they were commonly prescribed. Inpatient medical records and hospital databases served as sources of information. Results: Phenobarbitone was commonly utilized, followed by phenytoin and levetiracetam. The commonly prescribed combination was phenobarbitone (first-line agent) and phenytoin (second-line agent). Phenobarbitone immediately resolved seizures (97, 75.1%) and had the least cases of seizure recurrences (53, 41.1%) and readmissions (20, 15.5%), making it most efficient. The best second-line agent was phenytoin, with the least seizure recurrence (4, 8.51%), least readmissions (7, 14.8%), and fastest resolution (25, 53.1%). Levetiracetam was an efficient third-line agent. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy was the most observed cause of neonatal seizures. Conclusion: Phenobarbitone was observed as the most utilized and efficient anti-epileptic drug, followed by phenytoin and levetiracetam. Owing to limitations in this study, there is an alarming need for standardized clinical trials to establish thorough guidelines.

Need and Viability of Newborn Screening Programme in India: Report from a Pilot Study.

India, a country with the second largest population in the world, does not have a national newborn screening programme as part of its health policy. With funding support from the Grand Challenges Canada, a pilot newborn screening programme was implemented for the Udupi district of South India to study the need and viability of a national programme in India. Six disorders were selected for the study based on the availability of funding and recommendation from pediatricians in the district. Here, we report the observed incidence during the study. A cost-effectiveness analysis of implementing newborn screening in India was performed. It is evident from our analysis that the financial loss for the nation due to these preventable diseases is much higher than the overall expenditure for screening, diagnosis, and treatment. This cost-effectiveness analysis justifies the need for a national newborn screening programme in India.

Umbilical Cord Blood Acid-Base Parameters and Lactate as Predictors of Subsequent Meconium Aspiration Syndrome in Neonates.

Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) in neonates born through meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) causes significant morbidity and mortality. Early recognition of at-risk neonates could help optimize treatment. The aim was to determine predictive characteristics of cord blood pH, base deficit and lactate with subsequent MAS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with area under curve (AUC) were estimated. Among 231 MSAF complicated pregnancies, 25 (10.8%) had MAS. Mean cord pH was significantly lower in neonates with MAS compared to those without MAS (7.15 ± 0.11 vs. 7.26 ± 0.07; p < 0.001). Median lactate between the two groups [5.6 (7.5, 3.7) vs. 2.7 (4.5, 2.0)] and base deficit [-10.6 (-13.2, -4.2) vs. -3.7 (-6.3, -2.6)] also differed significantly (p = 0.01). ROC curve area for cord lactate, pH, and base deficit were 0.81, 0.79, and 0.75, respectively. The predictive cutoff values for pH, lactate, and base deficit were 7.20, 3.55 mmol/L, and -5.3 mmol/L, respectively.

Prediction modelling in the early detection of neonatal sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Prediction modelling can greatly assist the health-care professionals in the management of diseases, thus sparking interest in neonatal sepsis diagnosis. The main objective of the study was to provide a complete picture of performance of prediction models for early detection of neonatal sepsis. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL databases were searched and articles which used various prediction modelling measures for the early detection of neonatal sepsis were comprehended. Data extraction was carried out based on Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modelling Studies checklist. Extricate data consisted of objective, study design, patient characteristics, type of statistical model, predictors, outcome, sample size and location. Prediction model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was applied to gauge the risk of bias of the articles. RESULTS: An aggregate of ten studies were included in the review among which eight studies had applied logistic regression to build a prediction model, while the remaining two had applied artificial intelligence. Potential predictors like neonatal fever, birth weight, foetal morbidity and gender, cervicovaginitis and maternal age were identified for the early detection of neonatal sepsis. Moreover, birth weight, endotracheal intubation, thyroid hypofunction and umbilical venous catheter were promising factors for predicting late-onset sepsis; while gestational age, intrapartum temperature and antibiotics treatment were utilised as budding prognosticators for early-onset sepsis detection. CONCLUSION: Prediction modelling approaches were able to recognise promising maternal, neonatal and laboratory predictors in the rapid detection of early and late neonatal sepsis and thus, can be considered as a novel way for clinician decision-making towards the disease diagnosis if not used alone, in the years to come.

STRATEGIES IN ADDRESSING STATE SCREEN TIME POLICIES IN EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION CENTERS IN LOUISIANA.

Background: Multiple state and local governments have legislated screen time policy regulations in early care and education (ECE) centers in the United States, though little is known about how and whether these are enacted within these settings. This study examined the implementation, communication, monitoring, enforcement, and evaluation strategies of recently enacted state-level early childhood education (ECE) center screen time regulations in a southern U.S. state. Methods: ECE directors (n=12) participated in semi-structured interviews after the regulations were enacted, and interview transcripts were evaluated using thematic analysis. Results: Most directors reported making environmental changes (e.g., removing screens from the classroom) and limiting children's and staff members' access to devices (e.g., restricting classroom time spent on screens), including regulating staff members' own screen time (i.e., phone usage). ECE center directors reported daily monitoring for adherence to regulations and used a variety of enforcement strategies, and most reported no adverse effects from implementing the policy. A few directors reported receiving resources from agencies or organizations to assist in implementing, monitoring, or enforcing screen time regulations. Discussion: In this sample, environmental and individual changes helped ECE centers adhere to the regulations, along with frequent monitoring. Conclusions: Development of technical assistance resources to support environmental and logistical changes, along with continued evaluation of the regulations, are warranted to minimize or eliminate screen time at ECE centers.