Table of contents
March 2022 - Volume 107 - 2
Fantoms
- Highlights from this issue (17 February, 2022)
Editorials
- Non-invasive ventilation and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: is LESS really MORE? (16 December, 2021)
Reviews
- Current evidence for prenatal and postnatal corticosteroids in preterm infants (3 March, 2021)
The review article looks at the current evidence for steroids in preterm infants, both pre- and postnatally.
- Red cell transfusion thresholds for preterm infants: finally some answers (27 April, 2021)
A review of the current evidence for red cell transfusions for preterm infants.
Original research
- Outcomes in relation to early parenteral nutrition use in preterm neonates born between 30 and 33 weeks’ gestation: a propensity score matched observational study (21 September, 2021)
This is large study of over 16,000 infants born between 30 and 32+6 weeks gestation. It compares those who received parenteral nutrition compared to those who did not and explores the risk and benefit of this intervention.
- Early versus later initiation of parenteral nutrition for very preterm infants: a propensity score-matched observational study (18 November, 2021)
This large observational study of over 65,000 infants uses propensity matching to assess the impact of early (<2 days of age) and late (>2 days) commencement of parenteral nutrition in preterm infants born before 31 weeks gestation.
- Temporal trends in respiratory care and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very preterm infants over a 10-year period in Spain (28 July, 2021)
National survey of changes in respiratory outcomes of VLBW infants over 2 periods, showing that outcome did not improve despite an increase in the use of non-invasive ventilation.
- Observational cohort study of changing trends in non-invasive ventilation in very preterm infants and associations with clinical outcomes (19 August, 2021)
This analysis of the National Neonatal Research Database from 2010-17 shows that the use of high-flow nasal cannula quadrupled, particularly as initial respiratory support, but was associated with adverse outcomes including BPD.
- Video-based reflection on neonatal interventions during COVID-19 using eye-tracking glasses: an observational study (19 August, 2021)
Single centre evaluation of the use of eye-tracking glasses during neonatal procedures as an additional tool for outside teaching and video-based reflection. The feasibility and potential benefit during a pandemic is reported.
- Comparison of volume guarantee and volume-controlled ventilation both using closed loop inspired oxygen in preterm infants: a randomised crossover study (CLIO-VG study) (7 July, 2021)
Cross-over study addressing whether improved time within oxygen saturation target can be primarily improved by volume-controlled ventilation or automatic control of the FiO2, with the results clearly showing that the latter is more important for reaching this goal
- Direct swallowing training and oral sensorimotor stimulation in preterm infants: a randomised controlled trial (19 July, 2021)
This single centre, masked RCT enrolling 186 infants <32 weeks gestation found that direct swallowing training combined with oral sensorimotor stimulation significantly shortened the time to independent oral feeding compared with no intervention.
- Titres and neutralising capacity of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in human milk: a systematic review (13 July, 2021)
Systematic review on the titers and neutralising capacity of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in human milk demonstrates that these antibodies can neutralise the virus in vitro. Furthermore, high pressure, but not Holder pasteurisation deactivates the specific IgAs.
- Head circumference, total cerebral volume and neurodevelopment in preterm neonates (14 July, 2021)
This paper looks at the relationship between head growth during neonatal unit stay and neurodevelopmental outcomes in a prospective cohort.
- Characteristics of neonatal herpes simplex virus infections in Germany: results of a 2-year prospective nationwide surveillance study (13 July, 2021)
This two-year prospective nationwide surveillance study of neonatal HSV infections finds few cases in Germany. Most children had few symptoms and good outcomes, but five infants had significant sequelae. Orofacial HSV infection was present in one or more family members for 20/23 babies where data was available, but it is not clear if this was the mode of transmission.
- Growth in extremely preterm children born in England in 1995 and 2006: the EPICure studies (13 July, 2021)
This paper describes the growth to age 11 of a sample of the EPICure 2 2006 preterm birth cohort, compared to healthy same age controls and to the 1995 EPICure cohort. Since 1995, childhood growth in weight, height and BMI have improved for births <26 weeks of gestation, but there was no improvement in head growth.
- Temporal trends of in utero and early postnatal transfer of extremely preterm infants between 2011 and 2016: a UK population study (19 July, 2021)
Between 2011 and 2016, the rate of intra-uterine transfer of extremely preterm infants within the UK decreased, with an associated increase in early postnatal transfer. This also includes early postnatal transfer between level 3 NICUs.
- Oesophageal atresia: sonographic signs may prenatally predict surgical complexity (28 July, 2021)
This manuscript characterizes prenatal ultrasound findings of babies with esophageal atresia with the presence or absence of a distal fistula. The authors found several ultrasound parameters were correlated with more complex repair and absence of a distal fistula
- Impact of personal protective equipment on neonatal resuscitation procedures: a randomised, cross-over, simulation study (6 September, 2021)
Unique study of neonatal resuscitation in PPE using a simulation model which identified small but potentially important differences in timings of key resus events. Also shows the inevitable discomfort and inconvenience of PPE in this scenario.
- SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibody detection in breast milk from a prospective multicentre study in Spain (20 August, 2021)
ARS-CoV-2 antibodies but not RNA are found in breast milk from COVID-19 infected mothers.
Short reports
- Antenatal magnesium sulfate to prevent cerebral palsy (7 July, 2021)
Embedding a quality improvement program on prenatal magnesium administration is feasible to reduce the impact of cerebral palsy.
PostScript
Images in neonatal medicine
- Contrast study in umbilical venous line extravasation (4 February, 2021)