Plasma Citrulline as a Biomarker for Early Diagnosis of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants.

OBJECTIVE: Citrulline synthesized by healthy enterocytes and decreases with injury. This work aimed to study plasma citrulline concentrations (CITs) as a biomarker to differentiate among infants presenting with early nonspecific signs and symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) with those who will develop NEC. Further to study the correlation between posttreatment CIT with time to full feeds (TTFF) and length of stay (LOS). STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective study which included infants < 32 weeks gestational age (GA) with 9 infants each in Group 1 (stage 2/3 NEC), Group 2 (with stage 1 NEC-like presentation), and Group 3 (healthy GA-matched infants). CIT was measured in Groups 1 and 2 within 24 hours of presentation and again in Group 1 after treatment. RESULTS: The three groups were similar in clinical characteristics. Median CIT (µmol/L) in Group 1 (15.4 [interquartile range, IQR: 7.3-18.0]) was lower than Group 2 (22.2 [IQR: 18.3-27.3], p = 0.02) and Group 3 (24.9 [IQR: 19.8-31.9], p = 0.009). Posttreatment CIT in Group 1 did not correlate with TTFF (r = 0.15; p = 0.69) and LOS (r = - 0.33; p = 0.38). CONCLUSION: CIT was lower in infants with NEC as compared with healthy controls and those infants with nonspecific signs of NEC. CIT after treatment does not correlate with TTFF and LOS. KEY POINTS: · Citrulline is produced by enterocytes.. · It is decreased in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis early in disease.. · It can be used as a biomarker for early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis..

Comparison of birth outcomes of mothers covered by Medicaid versus those privately insured when accounting for social determinants of health.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between maternal health insurance type and birth outcomes [prematurity, small for gestational age (SGA), Term/Appropriate for gestational age NICU admission (Term/AGA-NICU) & composite birth outcomes (CBO)] accounting for social determinants of health. DESIGN/METHODS: A cross-sectional study of maternal surveys and birth certificate data of singleton live births in NY born to mothers with Medicaid (M) or Private Insurance (PI). RESULTS: 1015 mothers [M = 631, PI = 384) included. Individual birth outcomes did not differ between groups. Adjusting for social, demographic and clinical covariates, M mothers had similar odds of preterm birth, SGA, Term/AGA-NICU admission and CBO compared to PI. CONCLUSIONS: M mothers were as likely as PI mothers to deliver a preterm, SGA or a Term/AGA-NICU infant after controlling for social determinants of health. Despite more social adversity among enrollees, our study suggests NY Medicaid recipients have similar birth outcomes to privately insured, socially advantaged women.

Synergizing Safety: A Customized Approach to Curtailing Unplanned Extubations through Shared Decision-making in the NICU.

Background: Unplanned Extubation (UE) remains an important patient safety issue in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Our SMART AIM was to decrease the rate of UE by 10% from the baseline from January to December 2022 by emphasizing collaboration among healthcare professionals and through the use of shared decision-making. Methods: We established an interdisciplinary Quality Improvement team composed of nurses, respiratory therapists, and physicians (MDs). The definition of UE was standardized. UE was audited using an apparent cause analysis form to discern associated causes and pinpoint areas for improvement. Interventions were implemented in a step-by-step fashion and reviewed monthly using the model for improvement. A shared decision-making approach fostered collaborative problem-solving. Results: Our baseline UE rate was 2.3 per 100 ventilator days. Retaping, general bedside care, and position change accounted for over 50% of the UE events in 2022. The rate of UE was reduced by 48% by the end of December 2022. We achieved special-cause variation by the end of March 2023. Conclusions: The sole education of medical and nursing providers about various approaches to decreasing unnecessary retaping was ineffective in reducing UE rates. Shared decision-making incorporating inputs from nurses, respiratory therapists, and MDs led to a substantial reduction in the UE rate and underscores the potential of systematic evaluation of risk factors combined with collaborative best practices.

Intention to Breastfeed and Paternal Influence on Pregnant Mothers Exclusively Using Marijuana Compared with Other Substances.

Objective: To determine intention to breastfeed (ITBF) rates among mothers exclusively using marijuana (eMJ) compared with electronic cigarettes (eEcig), tobacco products (eTob), or multisubstances (MS), nonusers (NU), and the influence of paternal presence and paternal substance use. Study Design: Cross-sectional study of parental survey responses merged with electronic birth certificates. Accounting for clinical and social determinants of health, analyses of ITBF included (1) all mothers, (2) single mothers, and (3) mothers with fathers. Results: Among all mothers (n = 1,073), eMJ, eTob, and MS users had lower odds of ITBF compared with NU. Only eMJ users had lower odds of ITBF for those without paternal presence. However, in those mothers with a paternal presence, odds of ITBF were similar to NU for eMJ, eTob, and MS users when accounting for paternal factors, including paternal substance use. Conclusion: Women exclusively using MJ have lower ITBF compared with NU. However, paternal presence mitigated this effect, independent of parental MJ use. The presence of fathers may represent a unique predictor for increased ITBF in MJ using mothers.

Antenatal Escitalopram Use and Necrotizing Enterocolitis in a Newborn: A Case Report.

The increased use of antidepressants during pregnancy has been associated with adverse effects in the newborn. We report a case of antenatal escitalopram use associated with necrotizing enterocolitis in a healthy term baby. We further discuss possible mechanisms that may explain this association. With increasing evidence of association of necrotizing enterocolitis with maternal exposure to antidepressants, more studies to find out causality and methods to predict babies at risk and their prudent management are needed.