Epidemiology of early and late-onset neonatal sepsis in an Australian regional special care nursery with a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander births.

AIM: To describe the incidence and aetiology of early and late-onset neonatal sepsis and compare rates in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants against non-Indigenous infants in the Top End of the Northern Territory. METHODS: This was a retrospective case series of infants with positive blood or cerebrospinal fluid cultures at Royal Darwin Hospital between 2012 and 2016. Cultures from infants during initial hospital admission up to 120 days of age were included for analysis. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and treatment data were collected from medical records. Published definitions of sepsis and criteria for organism pathogenicity and were used to determine cases of sepsis. RESULTS: There were 52 episodes of sepsis in 45 infants. There were eight cases of early onset sepsis, with an incidence of 0.51 per 1000 live births. The incidence was similar for Aboriginal and non-Indigenous infants. The case fatality rate was 25%. Late-onset sepsis occurred in 44 cases, comprising 1.3% of all infants admitted to the special care nursery. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most frequently cultured organism. Case fatality rate was 11%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants had a five-time higher risk of late-onset sepsis compared with non-Indigenous infants; however, their increased risk was not independent of other sepsis risk factors of low rates and prematurity. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of culture-confirmed early and late-onset sepsis was low, but case fatality was high. Bacteraemia is an important contributor to neonatal and infant mortality in our setting.

The efficacy and safety of peripheral intravenous parenteral nutrition vs 10% glucose in preterm infants born 30 to 33 weeks' gestation: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Preterm infants born 30 to 33 weeks' gestation often require early support with intravenous fluids because of respiratory distress, hypoglycemia or feed intolerance. When full feeds are anticipated to be reached within the first week, risks associated with intravenous delivery mode and type must be carefully considered. Recommendations are for parenteral nutrition to be infused via central venous lines (because of the high osmolarity), however, given the risks associated with central lines, clinicians may opt for 10% glucose via peripheral venous catheter when the need is short-term. We therefore compare a low osmolarity peripheral intravenous parenteral nutrition (P-PN) solution with peripheral intravenous 10% glucose on growth rate in preterm infants born 30 to 33 weeks' gestation. METHODS: In this parallel group, single centre, superiority, non-blinded, randomised controlled trial, 92 (P-PN 42, control 50) infants born 30+ 0 to 33+ 6 weeks' gestation, were randomised within 24 h of age, to receive either P-PN (8% glucose, 30 g/L amino acids, 500 IU/L heparin and SMOFlipid®) or a control of peripheral intravenous 10% glucose. Both groups received enteral feeds according to hospital protocol. The primary outcome was rate of weight gain from birth to 21 days of age. RESULTS: The rate of weight gain was significantly increased in P-PN infants compared with control (P-PN, n = 42, 18.7, SD 6.6 g/d vs control, n = 50, 14.8, SD 6.0 g/d; adjusted mean difference 3.9 g/d, 95% CI 1.3 to 6.6; P = 0.004), with the effect maintained to discharge home. Days to regain birthweight were significantly reduced and length gain significantly increased in P-PN infants. One infant in the P-PN group had a stage 3 extravasation which rapidly resolved. Blood urea nitrogen and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in the P-PN group in the first week of life, but there were no instances of abnormally high levels. There were no significant differences in any other clinical or biochemical outcomes. CONCLUSION: P-PN improves the rate of weight gain to discharge home in preterm infants born 30 to 33 weeks gestation compared with peripheral intravenous 10% glucose. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000925448 . Registered 12 July 2016.

Effect of parenteral lipid emulsion on preterm infant PUFAs and their downstream metabolites.

OBJECTIVE: Oxylipins synthesized by oxidation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) are bioactive downstream lipid mediators. The aim of this study was to describe oxylipin levels in preterm infants born 30 to 33 weeks' gestation who were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial in which peripheral parenteral nutrition (P-PN), including lipid emulsion (containing soy, medium chain triglyceride, olive and fish oil), was compared with 10% glucose on growth during the transition to enteral feeds. METHODS: Of the 92 infants randomized to the P-PN study, the first 72 (P-PN n = 34, control n = 38) had blood taken for fatty acid analyses. P-PN infants received parenteral nutrition including 3% protein, 8% glucose and 17% SMOFlipid® lipid (containing soy, medium chain triglyceride, olive and fish oil), and control infants 10% glucose. Both groups commenced enteral feeds when clinically stable. 32 oxylipins and 5 free fatty acids were screened (using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry), and 5 total LCPUFA were measured (using gas chromatography), on study days 1 (baseline), 2, 4, 7, 14 and 21. RESULTS: Both total and free LA, ALA and EPA were significantly higher in the P-PN group compared with control over the first week of life. Whereas total AA was significantly lower and free DHA significantly higher over the same time period. All LA, ALA, EPA and four DHA derived oxylipins detected were significantly higher in the P-PN group compared with the control group during the first week of life, with three AA derived oxylipins significantly lower and one significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral lipid emulsion resulted in a change in total and free fatty acids and related oxylipins with the profiles suggesting increased omega-6 driven inflammation. Further studies to investigate the association between the oxylipin levels and nutrition and to determine whether the oxylipin profiles influence the clinical outcome in preterm infants are warranted.