Use of Vasopressors in Extremely Preterm Infants in First Week of Life

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parul G. Zaveri ◽  
Amanda M. Walker ◽  
Kirtikumar Upadhyay ◽  
Ajay J. Talati
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants ◽  
Early Use ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Vasopressor Use ◽  
Lower Birthweight

Objective A significant variability exists for diagnosis and treatment of hypotension in extremely preterm infants. Benefits of the use of vasopressors remain unclear. We wanted to identify the risk factors associated with use of vasopressors in the first week of life and their impact on outcomes of extremely preterm infants. Study Design Retrospective review of all newborns ≤28 weeks of gestational age (GA) admitted in neonatal intensive care unit from October 1, 2012 to October 31, 2015 done. Data regarding antenatal and neonatal characteristics and outcomes were recorded. Study infants were divided into two cohorts and compared based on vasopressor use. Chi-square, t-test, and multiple logistic regression were performed as appropriate and significance set at p <0.05. Results Of 213 extremely preterm infants, 90 (42.3%) received vasopressors in first week of life. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) at admission in these infants was significantly lower than that of infants who did not require vasopressors (27 ± 8 vs. 30 ± 6 mmHg, p < 0.05). Vasopressors were initiated within 24 hours in 91% of babies. After controlling for other variables, use of vasopressors was significantly higher in infants with lower birthweight (odds ratio [OR]: 3.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6–8.3), 5-minute Apgar's score ≤5 (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–3.12), and admission hypothermia (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.3–4.9). The use of vasopressors was significantly associated with severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), even after controlling for other significant variables (OR: 5.9, 95% CI: 1.6–9.3). Conclusion Lower birthweight, low 5-minute Apgar's score, and admission hypothermia are characteristics associated with early use of vasopressors in extremely preterm infants. Infants treated with vasopressors are at a higher risk of developing severe IVH. Key Points

scholarly journals The Risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis following the Administration of Hyperosmolar Enteral Medications to Extremely Preterm Infants

Neonatology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Faiza Latheef ◽  
Hanna Wahlgren ◽  
Helene Engstrand Lilja ◽  
Barbro Diderholm ◽  
Mattias Paulsson
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Necrotizing Enterocolitis ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Quality Register ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants ◽  
Hyperosmolar Solutions

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a disease predominantly affecting preterm infants. The administration of hyperosmolar solutions could lead to the development of NEC. The objective of this study was to measure the osmolality of enteral medications used in clinical practice and to assess the risk of NEC following exposure to hyperosmolar medications. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A retrospective cohort study in extremely preterm infants (gestational age &#x3c;28 weeks) born between 2010 and 2016 at a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in Sweden. 465 infants were identified via the Swedish Neonatal Quality register. Data relating to enteral administrations received during a two-week period were collected from the medical records. The osmolalities of medications were measured using an osmometer. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio of developing NEC. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 253 patients met the inclusion criteria. The osmolalities of 5 commonly used medications significantly exceeded the recommended limit of 450 mOsm/kg set by the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP). Most patients (94%) received at least one hyperosmolar medication. No significant risk of developing NEC could be found. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The medications used in clinical practice can significantly exceed the limit set by the AAP. This study does not indicate an increased risk of developing NEC in extremely preterm infants following exposure to hyperosmolar medications. Further studies in larger cohorts are needed to determine the specific cut-off level of osmolality in relation to the pathogenesis of NEC.

scholarly journals Regional variation in cost of neonatal intensive care for extremely preterm infants

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asaph Rolnitsky ◽  
David Urbach ◽  
Sharon Unger ◽  
Chaim M. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Regional Variation ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Cost Optimization ◽  
Program Cost ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants

Abstract Background Regional variation in cost of neonatal intensive care for extremely preterm infant is not documented. We sought to evaluate regional variation that may lead to benchmarking and cost saving. Methods An analysis of a Canadian national costing data from the payor perspective. We included all liveborn 23–28-week preterm infants in 2011–2015. We calculated variation in costs between provinces using non-parametric tests and a generalized linear model to evaluate cost variation after adjustment for gestational age, survival, and length of stay. Results We analysed 6932 infant records. The median total cost for all infants was $66,668 (Inter-Quartile Range (IQR): $4920–$125,551). Medians for the regions varied more than two-fold and ranged from $48,144 in Ontario to $122,526 in Saskatchewan. Median cost for infants who survived the first 3 days of life was $91,000 (IQR: $56,500–$188,757). Median daily cost for all infants was $1940 (IQR: $1518–$2619). Regional variation was significant after adjusting for survival more than 3 days, length of stay, gestational age, and year (pseudo-R2 = 0.9, p < 0.01). Applying the model on the second lowest-cost region to the rest of the regions resulted in a total savings of $71,768,361(95%CI: $65,527,634–$81,129,451) over the 5-year period ($14,353,672 annually), or over 11% savings for the total program cost of $643,837,303 over the study period. Conclusion Costs of neonatal intensive care are high. There is large regional variation that persists after adjustment for length of stay and survival. Our results can be used for benchmarking and as a target for focused cost optimization, savings, and investment in healthcare.

scholarly journals Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Extremely Preterm Infants

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leeann R. Pavlek ◽  
Clifford Mueller ◽  
Maria R. Jebbia ◽  
Matthew J. Kielt ◽  
Omid Fathi
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Tissue Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Tissue Oxygen ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants ◽  
Potential Applications

With advances in neonatal care, survival of premature infants at the limits of viability has improved significantly. Despite these improvement in mortality, infants born at 22–24 weeks gestation are at a very high risk for short- and long-term morbidities associated with prematurity. Many of these diseases have been attributed to abnormalities of tissue oxygenation and perfusion. Near-infrared spectroscopy utilizes the unique absorption properties of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin to provide an assessment of regional tissue oxygen saturation, which can be used to calculate the fractional tissue oxygen extraction. This allows for a non-invasive way to monitor tissue oxygen consumption and enables targeted hemodynamic management. This mini-review provides a brief and complete overview of the background and physiology of near-infrared spectroscopy, practical use in extremely preterm infants, and potential applications in the neonatal intensive care unit. In this mini-review, we aim to summarize the three primary application sites for near-infrared spectroscopy, disease-specific indications, and available literature regarding use in extremely preterm infants.

Factors affecting parents' presence with their extremely preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care room

2013 ◽  
Vol 102 (7) ◽  
pp. 695-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann-Britt Heinemann ◽  
Lena Hellström-Westas ◽  
Kerstin Hedberg Nyqvist
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants

Association between Umbilical Catheters and Neonatal Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Infants

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (03) ◽  
pp. 233-241
Author(s):  
Mohamed Elboraee ◽  
Jennifer Toye ◽  
Xiang Ye ◽  
Prakesh Shah ◽  
Khalid Aziz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Morbidity ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Units ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Major Morbidity ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants ◽  
Umbilical Catheters ◽  
Multivariable Analyses

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the association between umbilical catheters and a composite outcome of mortality or major neonatal morbidity in extremely preterm infants. Study Design Data were abstracted from the Canadian Neonatal Network database for infants born at <29 weeks' gestational age and admitted to 29 neonatal intensive care units between January 2010 and December 2012. Four groups were identified: those with no umbilical catheters, umbilical venous catheters (UVCs), umbilical artery catheters (UACs), and those with both UVCs and UACs. The outcomes were compared among the groups using univariate and multivariable analyses. Results Of 4,623 eligible infants, 820 (17.7%) had no catheters, 1,032 (22.3%) a UVC only, 120 (2.6%) a UAC only, and 2,651 (57.3%) had both catheters. After adjustment for acuity and other potential confounders, umbilical catheters were associated with higher odds of mortality or any major morbidity (UVC vs. no catheter: adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.18–1.85; UAC vs. no catheter: aOR: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.05–2.63; and both UVC + UAC vs. no catheter: aOR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.79–2.70). Conclusion Most of the infants born at <29 weeks' gestation had UVC and/or UAC placement. The presence of either catheter was associated with mortality or major morbidity, and the association was stronger when both catheters were present.

scholarly journals Comparing Standardized and Parent-Reported Motor Outcomes of Extremely Preterm Infants

Children ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Maeve Morgan-Feir ◽  
Andrea Abbott ◽  
Anne Synnes ◽  
Dianne Creighton ◽  
Thevanisha Pillay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Motor Impairment ◽  
Fine Motor ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants ◽  
Ages And Stages Questionnaire ◽  
Motor Outcomes

Extremely preterm infants are at increased risk of motor impairment. The Canadian Neonatal Follow-Up Network (CNFUN) afforded an opportunity to study the outcomes of extremely preterm children. The purpose of this study was to compare 18-month corrected age (CA) motor outcomes of extremely preterm infants with parent-reported functional outcomes at 3 years CA. CNFUN data of 1376 infants were used to conduct chi-square analyses to compare Bayley-III motor scores (composite, gross, and fine motor) at 18 months CA with parent-reported Ages and Stages Questionnaire motor scores (gross and fine motor) at 3 years CA. The correlation of motor scores at 18-months CA with parent-reported gross and fine motor scores at 3 years CA was also examined. We found that 1 in 5 infants scoring within or above the average range on the Bayley-III had parent-reported functional fine and gross motor difficulties at 3 years CA. Bayley-III scores were only moderately correlated with functional motor outcomes. Results of the study suggest that the Bayley-III at 18 months CA was able to detect the majority of infants with motor problems, but not all; therefore, ongoing follow-up of extremely preterm infants is required. The Bayley-III motor composite score has greater clinical utility compared to sub-scale scores.

scholarly journals Psychosocial support for parents of extremely preterm infants in neonatal intensive care: a qualitative interview study

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Bry ◽  
Helena Wigert
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Premature Infants ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants

Abstract Background Extremely premature infants (those born before 28 weeks’ gestational age) are highly immature, requiring months of care at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). For parents, their child’s grave medical condition and prolonged hospitalization are stressful and psychologically disruptive. This study aimed at exploring the needs of psychosocial support of parents of extremely premature infants, and how the NICU as an organization and its staff meets or fails to meet these needs. Method Sixteen open-ended interviews were conducted with 27 parents after their infant’s discharge from the NICU. Inductive content analysis was performed. Results Four themes were identified: Emotional support (with subthemes Empathic treatment by staff, Other parents as a unique source of support, Unclear roles of the various professions); Feeling able to trust the health care provider; Support in balancing time spent with the infant and other responsibilities; Privacy. Parents of extremely premature infants needed various forms of emotional support at the NICU, including support from staff, professional psychological help and/or companionship with other patients’ parents. Parents were highly variable in their desire to discuss their emotional state with staff. The respective roles of nursing staff, social workers and psychologists in supporting parents emotionally and identifying particularly vulnerable parents appeared unclear. Parents also needed to be able to maintain a solid sense of trust in the NICU and its staff. Poor communication with and among staff, partly due to staff discontinuity, damaged trust. Parents struggled with perceived pressure from staff to be at the hospital more than they could manage and with the limited privacy of the NICU. Conclusions The complex and individual psychosocial needs of parents of extremely preterm infants present many challenges for the NICU and its staff. Increasing staffing and improving nurses’ competence in addressing psychosocial aspects of neonatal care would help both nurses and families. Clarifying the roles of different professions in supporting parents and developing their teamwork would lessen the burden on nurses. Communicating with parents about their needs and informing them early in their NICU stay about available support would be essential in helping them cope with their infant’s hospitalization.

0.2% chlorhexidine acetate as skin disinfectant prevents skin lesions in extremely preterm infants: a preliminary report

2017 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. F97-F100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisanne M A Janssen ◽  
Alma Tostmann ◽  
Joost Hopman ◽  
Kian D Liem
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Skin Lesions ◽  
Central Line ◽  
Chlorhexidine Gluconate ◽  
Electronic Patient Records ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Definition Of

ObjectiveThe skin disinfectant ‘0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol’ (0.5% CHG-70% alc) may cause skin lesions in extremely preterm infants (gestational age <26 weeks). In April 2013, 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution in acetate (0.2% CHG-acetate) was introduced as skin disinfectant for extremely preterm infants in our neonatal intensive care units. We aimed to compare the incidence of skin lesions and central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) among extremely preterm infants when using 0.5% CHG-70% alc and 0.2% CHG-acetate.DesignRetrospective pre-post comparison cohort study.PatientsAll electronic patient records of extremely preterm infants born between January 2011–March 2013 (‘0.5% CHG-70% alc’ cohort) and April 2013–October 2015 (‘0.2% CHG-acetate’ cohort) were reviewed.Main outcome measuresThe incidence of skin lesions and CLABSI. Skin lesions were defined as the presence of erythema, blisters, excoriation, oedema or induration. CLABSI was defined according to the definition of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.ResultsThe incidence of skin lesions was 22% (95% CI 11% to 37%) in the ‘0.5% CHG-70% alc’ cohort (n=41) and 5% (95% CI 1% to 15%; p=0.02) in the ‘0.2% CHG-acetate’ cohort (n=41). The incidence of CLABSI was the same in both groups (28%; 95% CI 14% to 46% in ‘0.5% CHG-70% alc’ vs 27%; 95% CI 14% to 44% in ‘0.2% CHG-acetate’; p=0.98).ConclusionsUsing 0.2% CHG-acetate as skin disinfectant in extremely preterm infants resulted in statistically significant reduction of skin lesions, without increasing the risk of CLABSI as compared with 0.5% CHG-70% alc.

The effect of postnatal corticosteroids on growth parameters in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma E. Williams ◽  
Theodore Dassios ◽  
Mikhaela Mann ◽  
Anne Greenough
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ◽  
Head Circumference ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Corticosteroid Treatment ◽  
Postnatal Growth ◽  
Extremely Preterm ◽  
Extremely Preterm Infants ◽  
The Difference

Abstract Objectives Corticosteroids are administered to ventilator dependent infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) to improve respiratory function and facilitating extubation. Acutely, however, growth impairment can occur as a side effect of such therapy. We aimed to determine the effect of corticosteroids on postnatal growth during the entire neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Methods A whole population study of extremely preterm infants with BPD was undertaken. Corticosteroid therapy was classified as treatment with dexamethasone or hydrocortisone for a least five consecutive days. Growth was calculated as the difference in weight and head circumference z-score from birth to discharge. Results Six thousand, one hundred and four infants with BPD were included of whom 28.3% received postnatal corticosteroids. Infants receiving corticosteroids were less mature (GA 25.0 vs. 26.3 weeks) and of lower birthweight (0.70 vs. 0.84 kg) than those not receiving treatment. There were no significant differences between those who did and did not receive corticosteroids in weight gain (p=0.61) or head circumference growth (p=0.33) from birth to discharge. Single vs. multiple courses of postnatal corticosteroids did not result in significant differences in weight (p=0.62) or head circumference (p=0.13) growth. Conclusions Postnatal corticosteroid treatment did not affect the longer term growth of preterm infants with BPD.

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