Efeitos da sucção não-nutritiva e da estimulação oral nas taxas de amamentação em recém-nascidos pré-termo de muito baixo peso ao nascer: um ensaio clínico randomizado / Effects of non-nutritive sucking and oral stimulation on breastfeeding rates for preterm, low birth weight infants: a randomized clinical trial

OBJETIVO: Determinar a influência da sucção não-nutritiva e da estimulação oral nas taxas de amamentação na alta hospitalar, aos 3 meses e 6 meses de idade corrigida em recém-nascidos pré-termo de muito baixo peso ao nascer. MÉTODOS: Foram randomizados 98 recém-nascidos pré-termo de muito baixo peso ao nascer, e 96 permaneceram no estudo até o 6º mês de idade corrigida. Os recém-nascidos foram randomizados em grupo experimental e grupo controle. O grupo experimental recebeu um programa de estimulação (sucção não-nutritiva associado à estimulação sensório-motora-oral), e o grupo controle, um procedimento simulado a partir do momento em que atingiam alimentação plena até a alimentação oral completa. RESULTADOS: Observou-se que 59 (61,5 por cento) recém-nascidos estavam em amamentação na alta, 31 (32,6 por cento) aos 3 meses e apenas 18 (18,75 por cento) aos 6 meses de idade corrigida. Na alta, 47 por cento dos recém-nascidos do grupo controle e 76 por cento do grupo estimulado estavam em amamentação. Aos 3 meses, 18 por cento do grupo controle e 47 por cento do grupo estimulado continuavam em amamentação, e aos 6 meses, 10 por cento do grupo controle e 27 por cento do grupo estimulado. Houve diferença estatística nos três períodos estudados, favorecendo o grupo estimulado (p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: O presente estudo demonstra que a sucção não-nutritiva, associada à estimulação oral, pode contribuir para a melhoria das taxas de amamentação em pré-termos de muito baixo peso ao nascer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of non-nutritive sucking and oral stimulation programs on breastfeeding rates at discharge, at 3 and at 6 months of corrected age in preterm infants with very low birth weight. METHODS: Preterm infants were randomized into experimental and control groups. Ninety-eight preterm infants were randomized and 96 remained in the study until reaching the corrected age of 6 months. The experimental group received sensory-motor-oral stimulation and non-nutritive sucking, while infants in the control group received a sham stimulation program. Both were administered from reaching enteral feeding (100 kcal/kg/day) until the beginning of oral feeding. RESULTS: Fifty-nine infants (61.5 percent) were breastfeeding at the time of hospital discharge, 31 (36.9 percent) at 3 months, and only 18 (20.5 percent) at 6 months of corrected age. At discharge, 46.9 percent of the control group and 76.5 percent of the experimental group were breastfeeding. There were statistically significant differences between rates of breastfeeding at discharge (47 vs. 76 percent), 3 months (18 vs. 47 percent) and 6 months after discharge (10 vs. 27 percent). The experimental group showed significantly higher rates of breastfeeding (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Non-nutritive sucking, associated with oral stimulation programs, can contribute to the improvement of breastfeeding rates among preterm infants with very low birth weight.

Hospital mortality rates of infants with birth weight less than or equal to 1.500 g in the northeast of Brazil

OBJETIVO: Obter informações sobre a mortalidade de recém-nascidos com peso de nascimento menor ou igual a 1.500 g em Fortaleza e comparar com a Rede Vermont Oxford, uma das melhores referências de cuidados neonatais. MÉTODOS: Estudo de coorte prospectivo. Incluídos todos os recém-nascidos com peso de nascimento menor ou igual a 1.500 g em Fortaleza no período de 01/03/02 a 28/02/03 em todos os hospitais-maternidades com unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal. Os recém-nascidos foram seguidos do nascimento até a alta domiciliar ou morte hospitalar, utilizando o questionário da Rede Vermont Oxford. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 774 recém-nascidos. O coeficiente de mortalidade neonatal foi de 477‰, e o coeficiente de mortalidade pós-neonatal foi de 35‰, elevando o coeficiente de mortalidade hospitalar total para 512‰. O coeficiente de mortalidade neonatal precoce foi de 335‰, e o coeficiente de mortalidade neonatal tardio foi de 142‰. Para todas as faixas de peso, os coeficientes de mortalidade em Fortaleza foram superiores aos da rede Vermont Oxford e também aos de Montevidéu, excetuando-se a faixa de peso menor ou igual a 600 g. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados mostram elevadas taxas de mortalidade hospitalar de recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso com uma maior concentração na primeira semana de vida, sugerindo tanto deficiência na assistência prestada nas unidades de terapia intensiva neonatal quanto na atenção antenatal e no momento do parto.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain information on the hospital mortality of infants born in Fortaleza with birth weight less than or equal to 1,500 g, and to compare it with data from the Vermont Oxford Network, a center of excellence for neonatal care. METHODS: Prospective cohort study, enrolling all infants with birth weight less than or equal to 1,500 g born in Fortaleza between March 1, 2002 and February 28, 2003 from all the hospitals and maternity units with neonatal intensive care units. Infants were followed from birth until hospital discharge or hospital death, using the Vermont Oxford Network questionnaire.. RESULTS: A total of 774 newborn infants were analyzed. The neonatal mortality coefficient was 477‰, and the postneonatal mortality coefficient was 35‰, taking the hospital mortality coefficient to 512‰. The coefficient of early neonatal mortality was 335‰, and the coefficient of late neonatal mortality was 142‰. Mortality coefficients were higher in Fortaleza for all weight ranges than on the Vermont Oxford Network and were also, with the exception of the less than or equal to 600 g weight range, higher than in Montevideo. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate high rates of hospital mortality among very low birth weight infants, with a greater concentration during the first week of life, suggesting that not only the care provided at the neonatal intensive care units is deficient, but also that prenatal and delivery-room care is inadequate.

Learning difficulties in schoolchildren born with very low birth weight

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between very low birth weight and learning difficulties at school by means of a systematic review of the literature, identifying patterns of learning difficulties among these schoolchildren, possible cognitive correlations, peculiarities of the lowest birth weight ranges and any interference with outcomes by socioeconomic and/or clinical factors. SOURCES OF DATA: Bibliographic search (MEDLINE, LILACS, Excerpta Medica, reference lists of original articles, periodicals related to the subject, information from experts in the area and thesis and dissertation databases) on the keywords: prematurity/very low birth weight, learning difficulties/academic achievement/school performance, follow-up/results/cohort. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: The search returned 114 articles and the 18 of these were selected as having investigated learning difficulties in schoolchildren born with very low birth weights using appropriate methodology. The academic performance of these children was observed to be inferior the whole study population was compared with those born full term. The subject most compromised was mathematics. The risk of suffering from learning difficulties increased in inverse proportion to birth weight. An association was identified between very low birth weight and cognitive compromise. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic approach corroborated the results obtained by published studies: schoolchildren born with very low birth weights exhibited increased risk of learning difficulties when compared with those born at full term. There was a predominance of children with multiple academic subjects compromised and mathematics was the most affected. Risk was observed to follow an ascending gradient as birth weight reduced. There was an association between very low birth weight and cognitive compromise.