Awareness or neglecting the diagnosis of cow milk protein allergy in the neonatal period.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cow milk protein allergy (CMPA) can mimic surgical disease, gastroenteritis, sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis in the neonatal period. For this reason, we aimed to evaluate the clinical features, differential diagnosis, and treatment methods of neonates with CMPA. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: The charts of twenty-six breastfed full-term and preterm newborns presenting with CMPA between October 2018 and February 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, and methods used in diagnosis and treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: CMPA was diagnosed in preterm infants 50% (n=13) at the same rate as in full-term infants 50% (n=13) between 32 to 38 weeks corrected age (median 36 weeks). Among patients with CMPA, 69.2% (n=18) had blood in the stool at the onset. Cow's Milk-related Symptom Score score was found to be significantly higher prior to diagnosis vs. after treatment with the cow milk protein-free mom's milk diet [12(11-13) vs. 4(3-5), p<0.001]. Seventy-two hours after the commencement of the mothers' elimination diet, macroscopic blood in stool disappeared in all patients except one patient. Oral food challenge (OFC) for the diagnosis of CMPA was carried out on all (n=26) neonates. Eosinophilia was seen in 46.2% of patients (n=12). The methemoglobin concentration was 1.1 to 1.5% (median 1.3%). CONCLUSIONS: CMPA should be kept in mind for well-appearing preterm and full-term infants suspected of necrotizing enterocolitis and gastroenteritis, respectively, presenting with bloody stool and eosinophilia. The use of OFC can be implemented since neonates were very well monitored in the neonatal intensive care unit. Treatment is possible by continuing breastfeeding.

A Retrospective Analysis of the Neurological Evaluation of Cases With Neonatal Hypoglycemia.

Introduction Hypoglycemia is a common treatable metabolic disorder in the neonatal period. It can cause several neurological problems if untreated. In this study, the neurological outcomes of cases with hypoglycemia in the neonatal period were examined retrospectively, and the study aimed to determine risk factors and prognostic factors. Methods In this retrospective study, cases were followed in the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic between 2019 and 2022, and patients with a history of hypoglycemia in the neonatal period were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. The laboratory studies and clinical findings of the cases were obtained from follow-up records from the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic retrospectively. Physical examination findings, hypoglycemia levels, and symptoms of hypoglycemia, if any, were obtained retrospectively from the discharge files of the patients. Results A total of 70 cases were included in the study. Twenty-eight were girls and 42 were boys. Forty of the cases were preterm. The number of asymptomatic cases was 38, and the number of symptomatic cases was 32. There was no significant difference in regard to the mean lowest serum glucose levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. Thirty-three of the patients had neurological problems such as neuromotor developmental delay, cortical blindness, and epilepsy. Abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were detected in 30 of the symptomatic cases and eight of the asymptomatic cases. The rate of neurological sequelae in asymptomatic cases was found to be significantly lower than in symptomatic cases. Conclusions Patients who have a symptomatic hypoglycemic period, maternal gestational problems, and abnormal MRI carry a high risk for neurological sequelae, and these findings indicate poor prognosis.

Evaluation of immunogenicity after first dose of hepatitis B vaccine in newborns with very low birth weight.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis-B virus (HBV) infection is an important health problem worldwide. HBV vaccine application varies according to the birth weight and gestational week in the neonatal period. This study aimed to reconsider delaying the administration of the HBV vaccine because the birth weight of newborns was very low. METHODS: The newborns with very low birth weight in the study group were babies weighing less than 2000 g in the postnatal first month and at the time of administering HBV vaccine. Babies born at term from mothers who did not receive an HBV vaccine, had negative hepatitis B surface antibody levels, and were given HBV vaccine at birth were included in the study as a control group. The antibody levels against HBV vaccine were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: The retrospective study included 60 participants (32 men and 28 women) grouped as control first vaccine weight (first vaccine weight was >2000 g, control group, n = 30) and case vaccine weight (first vaccine weight was <2000 g, case group, n = 30). The mean birth weight was 2976 ± 84.8 g and 1054 ± 44.5 g in the control and case groups, respectively. The first vaccine weight was 2030-3780 g and 960-1900 g in the control and case groups, respectively. The mean antibody level was 297.8 ± 76.3IU/mL and 309.7 ± 56.3IU/mL in the <1500 g and >1500 g groups, respectively. No significant difference was found in hepatitis antibody levels between the groups. CONCLUSION: Further studies in larger samples are needed to confirm the efficacy and efficiency of postponement of hepatitis B vaccination in babies with a birth weight of <2000 g.

Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteremia outbreaks among non-cystic fibrosis patients in the pediatric unit of a university hospital.

BACKGROUND: Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) comprises multi-drug resistant, Gram-negative, motile, and aerobic bacteria. Bcc causes severe nosocomial infections particularly in patients with intravascular catheters and in those with cystic fibrosis. We studied a Bcc outbreak in non-cystic fibrosis patients. METHODS: We analyzed data from six patients hospitalized at our center. Blood cultures identified as infectious were incubated onto 5% blood sheep agar, chocolate agar, and eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar. We examined possible sites that could be sources of infection at the clinic. We confirmed isolations with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) tests. RESULTS: The first patient was hospitalized due to left renal agenesis, urinary tract infection, and renal failure. Bcc was isolated in blood cultures obtained due to high fever on the third day of hospitalization. We stopped new patient hospitalizations after detecting Bcc in blood cultures of other five patients. We did not detect further positive specimens obtained from other clinic and the patient rooms. PFGE patterns were similar in all clinical isolates of Bcc indicating that the outbreak had originated from the source. CONCLUSIONS: Bcc infection should be considered in cases of nosocomial outbreaks of multi-drug resistant organisms that require hospitalization at intensive care units. Control measures should be taken for prevention of nosocomial infections and required investigations should be done to detect the source of infection.

Cardiac rhythm abnormalities during intravenous immunoglobulin G(IVIG) infusion in two newborn infants: coincidence or association?

We report the occurrence of supraventricular tachycardia during intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusion. Supraventricular tachycardia was observed in two newborn patients during IVIG infusion. Both of the babies responded to adenosine treatment. Cardiorespiratory monitoring during IVIG infusion can be recommended because of the possibility of this potentially lifethreatening adverse effect.