Combined Nutrition in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Background Adequate nutritional support is crucial for achieving optimal growth and development in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants. This study evaluated the efficacy of combined nutrition (CN) (parenteral plus enteral nutrition (EN)) as an alternative nutrition protocol for VLBW infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods This retrospective cohort study collected clinical and growth data from the medical records of VLBW infants weighing between 1,000 and 1,500 grams in the NICU of the Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology "Dr. Víctor Manuel Espinosa de los Reyes Sánchez" of the Centro Médico Nacional "La Raza" Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico. Parenteral nutrition (PN) alone or CN (PN plus EN) was used for nutritional management. Statistical tests, such as Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test as appropriate, were used to compare the clinical characteristics and growth data of the two groups, and relative risk was calculated to determine the probability of comorbidities according to feeding type. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results The study included 90 VLBW infants, with 27 receiving PN alone and 63 receiving CN. No statistically significant differences were found concerning sex, age, or Apgar score. The CN group showed better weight gain with statistically significant differences at 28 days (p=0.002), with no increase in the relative risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or other complications. Conclusions The CN protocol met the caloric and nutritional needs, without increasing morbidity and mortality. The protocol had a positive impact on weight gain and a shorter NICU stay and should be considered as a nutritional alternative for VLBW infants.

[Impact of the use of an early neonatal sepsis calculator]. / Impacto del uso de una calculadora de riesgo de sepsis neonatal temprana.

BACKGROUND: Early onset neonatal sepsis (EOS) is a public health problem; antibiotic treatment is often unnecessary and can increase morbimortality. EOS risk calculator are available that allows limiting the use of antibiotics. OBJECTIVE: To compare the patterns of antibiotic use and hospitalization time in infant newborns (NB) ≥ 34 weeks of gestational age (GA) in a historical cohort attended from November 2017 to April 2018 vs. a prospective cohort from November 2018 to April 2019, before and after implementing the use of an EOS risk calculator, respectively. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ambispective, observational, longitudinal, analytical study in infants NB ≥ 34 GA attended before and after implementing the use of an EOS risk calculator. The patterns of antibiotic´s use were compared. Simple frequencies and proportions, means and standard deviations or medians with ranges, Mann-Whitney U Test and Chi square test with SPSS V. 20.0 statistical package were used; considering significant values of p < 0.05. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included, 15 NB for each period, the gestational age average was 36.8 ± 2.3 GA. there was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of diagnosis of EOS with blood culture or days of hospital stay. Antibiotics were beginning in all the infants attended before the implementation of the EOS risk calculator, unlike 46.7% of the infants after its implementation (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The EOS risk calculator is an easy tool to use, and demonstrated to be useful in decreasing unnecessary use of antibiotics.

INTRODUCCIÓN: la sepsis neonatal temprana (SNT) es un problema de salud pública. El tratamiento con antibióticos frecuentemente es innecesario y no inocuo. El uso de calculadoras de riesgo de SNT permite disminuir el uso injustificado de antibióticos. OBJETIVO: comparar el uso de antibióticos y tiempo de hospitalización en recién nacidos (RN) ≥ 34 semanas de gestación (SDG) en una cohorte histórica atendida de noviembre de 2017 a abril de 2018 frente a una cohorte prospectiva de noviembre de 2018 a abril del 2019, antes y después de la implementación del uso de una calculadora de riesgo de SNT. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: estudio ambispectivo, observacional, analítico en RN ≥ 34 SDG atendidos antes y después de implementar una calculadora de riesgo de SNT. Se comparó el uso de antibióticos así como el tiempo de hospitalización. Se usaron frecuencias, proporciones, medidas de tendencia central y dispersión, U de Mann-Whitney y Chi cuadrada, con el paquete estadístico SPSS V. 20.0; siendo significativos los valores de p < 0.05. RESULTADOS: se incluyeron 30 pacientes, 15 para cada grupo, de 36.8 ± 2.3 SDG. No hubo diferencia significativa en la frecuencia de diagnóstico de SNT con hemocultivo ni en los días de estancia intrahospitalaria. Se usó antibióticos en el 100% de los RN antes frente al 46.7% después del uso de la calculadora (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONES: la calculadora de riesgo de SNT es una herramienta de uso sencillo y que demostró ser útil para disminuir el uso innecesario de antibióticos.

Efficacy of Docosahexaenoic Acid for the Prevention of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an inflammatory bowel disease and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. In this study, a randomized double-blind parallel-group (1:1) trial was carried out in two neonatal intensive care units of two tertiary hospitals. Two hundred and twenty-five preterm newborns with an expected functional gastrointestinal tract were recruited and received an enteral dose of 75 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/kg body weight or high-oleic sunflower oil daily for 14 days from the first enteral feed after birth. Confirmed NEC was evaluated with Bell's scale from stage ≥ IIa. Two hundred and fourteen randomized infants were analyzed in terms of the intent-to-treat (DHA-group: n = 105; control-group: n = 109); data for two hundred infants were analysed per protocol. Confirmed NEC was lower in infants from the DHA-group compared with the control-group (0/100 vs. 7/100; p = 0.007), with RR = 0.93 (95% CI 0.881 to 0.981), risk difference = -7%, (95% CI -12.00 to -1.99), and number needed-to-treat = 15 (95% CI 8.3 to 50). Intent-to-treat analysis showed a lower level of treatment failure in the DHA-group compared with the control-group (6/105 (6%) vs. 16/109 (15%); p = 0.03, RR = 0.905, (95% CI 0.826 to 0.991)). The results after multivariate-regression analysis remained significant. Adverse events (apart from the incidence of NEC) were not different between groups. A daily dose of DHA for 14 days starting with the first enteral feed may prevent NEC in preterm infants.

Impact of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Pregnancy: Analysis of a Large 10-Year Longitudinal Mexican Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is considered a high risk one since it is associated with a higher rate of maternal-fetal complications compared with the pregnancies in healthy women. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the maternal-fetal outcomes in a cohort of Mexican patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and to identify risk factors associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of pregnant lupus patients was analyzed. Maternal-fetal complications were described, and clinical, biochemical, and immunological variables associated with obstetric adverse outcomes were studied. Descriptive statistics, comparison of variables using appropriate tests, and finally logistic regression analysis were performed to identify potential risk factors for adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 351 pregnancies were included in a 10-year period. The most frequently observed maternal adverse outcomes were lupus flare (35%) and preeclampsia (14.5%). Active lupus before pregnancy (hazards ratio [HR], 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-12.5; p = 0.003) was a predictor for these complications, whereas the use of antimalarial drugs (HR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.7; p = 0.007) was a protective factor. The most frequent fetal adverse outcomes were preterm birth (38.1%), miscarriages (10%), and low birth weight babies (28%), and very low birth weight newborns (11%). Proteinuria in early pregnancy (HR, 7.1; 95% CI, 1.01-50.3; p = 0.04) and preeclampsia (HR, 9.3; 95% CI, 1.7-49.7; p = 0.009) were risk factors associated with these complications. CONCLUSIONS: Variables related to systemic lupus erythematosus activity predict an adverse maternal outcome, whereas proteinuria in early pregnancy and preeclampsia are associated with an adverse fetal outcome.

First newborn of mother with COVID-19 in a third level unit. / Primer neonato de madre con COVID-19 en una unidad de tercer nivel.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 infection has become a global problem with significant infectiousness and mortality, affecting all age groups. One of the groups of greater risk are the pregnant women and their newborns. We present a report the first neonate born to a mother with COVID-19 who was treated at the Hospital de Gineco Obstetricia No. 3, in La Raza National Medical Center. CLINICAL CASE: Male newborn of 34 weeks of gestation, son of a mother diagnosed with COVID-19, "not vigorous," who required ventilatory support with intermittent positive pressure and mechanical ventilation due to respiratory depression secondary to the sedative and anesthetic type medications that the mother had received. During hospital stay of the child, he presented an adequate evolution and the two tests from nasopharyngeal swab at days 1 and 8 of extra-uterine life were negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: The different clinical manifestations of newborns with COVID-19 have been described in other studies, while the vertical transmission in the newborn up to this moment is uncertain.

INTRODUCCIÓN: la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se ha convertido en un problema mundial con importante infectocontagiosidad y mortalidad, afectando a todos los grupos de edad. Uno de los grupos de mayor riesgo son las mujeres embarazadas y con ello la afección a sus recién nacidos. A continuación, se reporta el caso del primer neonato hijo de madre con COVID-19 atendido en el Hospital de Gineco Obstetricia No. 3 del Centro Médico Nacional La Raza. CASO CLÍNICO: recién nacido masculino de 34 semanas de gestación, hijo de madre con diagnóstico de COVID-19, "no vigoroso", que requirió apoyo ventilatorio con presión positiva intermitente y ventilación mecánica debido a depresión respiratoria secundaria a los medicamentos de tipo sedante y anestésicos que había recibido la madre. Durante su estancia tuvo una evolución adecuada y las dos pruebas de hisopado nasofaríngeo a los días uno y ocho de vida extrauterina fueron negativas para la infección por SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONES: las distintas manifestaciones clínicas de recién nacidos con COVID-19 han sido descritas en otros estudios, mientras que la transmisión vertical en el recién nacido hasta este momento es incierta.

Enteral Docosahexaenoic Acid and Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disorder of the retina of low-birth-weight preterm infants that potentially leads to blindness. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is protective in experimental models, but its administration as part of parenteral nutrition has shown inconsistent results. We test the effect of enteral DHA to prevent ROP and/or severity and to reduce hospital stay. METHODS: This was a double-blind parallel clinical trial. Preterm infants (n = 110; 55 per group) with birth weight <1500 g but ≥1000 g were recruited in a neonatal intensive care unit. Infants were randomized to receive 75 mg of DHA/kg/d (DHA group) or high oleic sunflower oil (control group) for 14 days by enteral feeding. The effect of DHA was evaluated on any stage of ROP, severe ROP (stage ≥3) incidence, and hospital stay. Groups were compared with relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test, or Mann-Whitney U-test, as appropriate. Logistic regression was applied to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: There was no difference between the DHA and control groups in ROP risk (RR for DHA = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.49-1.27; P = 0.33). However, patients who received DHA showed lower risk for stage 3 ROP (RR for DHA = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.44-0.99; P = 0.03). After adjusting for confounders, this decreased risk remained significant (adjusted odds ratio = 0.10; 95% CI, 0.011-0.886; P = 0.04). Hospital stay was similar between groups. CONCLUSION: Enteral DHA may reduce the incidence of stage 3 ROP.

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.

Hidropesía fetal no inmune: Informe de un caso / Nonimmune hydrops fetalis: case report

Introducción: La hidropesía fetal es una condición clínica que se caracteriza por la acumulación anormal de líquidos en los tejidos blandos y en alguna de las cavidades serosas del feto. Es importante establecer con antelación esta condición, ya que debe conocerse la causa más probable, para ayudar en la mejor reanimación al nacimiento, la cual en el caso de un neonato con hidropesía fetal es un reto para el neonatólogo. Presentación del caso: Se presenta el caso de una embarazada de grupo sanguíneo O Rh negativo, no isoinmunizada, que cursó con anemia y hipoalbuminemia graves, con eclampsia, de la cual mediante cesárea se obtiene un producto del sexo femenino, de 32 semanas de gestación, con hidropesía fetal no inmune. Conclusiones: Se hace una revisión del tema con una discusión del abordaje diagnóstico y terapéutico actual.

Background: Hydrops fetalis is a clinical condition characterized by an abnormal fluid accumulation in soft tissues and in some serous cavities of the fetus. It is important to know beforehand if this condition is present in order to establish the most probable origin and to be prepared to administer optimal reanimation management of the neonate at birth. The care given to a newborn with hydrops fetalis is always a challenge for the neonatologist. Case report. We present the case of a pregnant, non-isoimmunized patient with RhO negative blood type. The following conditions were associated with her pregnancy: severe anemia, hypoalbuminemia, and preeclampsia/eclampsia. Delivery was accomplished with Cesarean section where a female neonate of 32 weeks gestation was delivered. Non-immune hydrops fetalis was present. Conclusions. We present recommendations for optimal diagnosis and therapy.