Risk factors associated with perinatal pathology in preterm infants with gestational age 34 0/7–36 6/7 weeks

Abstract Primary Subject area Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Background Preterm infants born <29 weeks’ gestational age (GA) are at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), typically diagnosed at age >2 years. Perinatal and neonatal factors, including interventions and morbidities during neonatal intensive care unit admission, may contribute to the risk of ASD among these infants. Objectives We aimed to assess the incidence of and risk factors for, ASD among preterm infants born < 29 weeks’ GA. Design/Methods <29 weeks’ GA admitted 2009-2017 to two tertiary NICUs and followed ≥18 months at the Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic. Primary outcome was ASD defined as a confirmed diagnosis using standardized testing or suspected diagnosis at >18 months of corrected age. Patient data and 18-month developmental outcomes were obtained from the local Canadian Neonatal Follow Up Network database and from chart review. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify significant perinatal, neonatal, and socio-economic factors associated with ASD. Results Among 300 eligible infants, 47 (15.7%) developed ASD (Figure 1, Table 1). Mean follow-up duration was 3.9 ± 1.4 years and mean age at diagnosis was 3.7 ± 1.5 years. Male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.63, 95% CI 2.12, 10.10), small for gestational age status (aOR 3.03, 95% CI 1.02, 9.01), maternal age ≥ 35 years at delivery (aOR 2.22, 95% CI 1.08, 4.57), and tobacco use in utero (aOR 5.67, 95% CI 1.86, 17.29) were significantly associated with ASD. Major neonatal morbidities (retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, severe neurological injury) were not associated with ASD. Among infants with a complete 18-month corrected age developmental assessment and later diagnosed with ASD, 46% (19/41) did not have significant neurodevelopment impairment (Bayley-III < 70, deafness, blindness, or cerebral palsy). Conclusion ASD is a significant morbidity among infants born < 29 weeks’ GA. ASD was associated with infant and prenatal risk factors but not with neonatal morbidities or socio-economic factors. These findings emphasize the need for ASD evaluation among preterm infants < 29 weeks and for reporting developmental outcomes beyond 18-months corrected age.

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Risk Factors Associated with Retinopathy of Prematurity in Very and Extremely Preterm Infants

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina57050420 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 420

Author(s):

Claudia Ioana Borțea ◽

Florina Stoica ◽

Marioara Boia ◽

Emil Radu Iacob ◽

Mihai Dinu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Extremely Preterm ◽

Extremely Preterm Infants ◽

Surfactant Administration ◽

Stage 1

Background and Objectives: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the leading cause of blindness in preterm infants. We studied the relationship between different perinatal characteristics, i.e., sex; gestational age (GA); birth weight (BW); C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentrations; ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and surfactant administration; and the incidence of Stage 1–3 ROP. Materials and Methods: This study included 247 preterm infants with gestational age (GA) < 32 weeks that were successfully screened for ROP. Univariate and multivariate binary analyses were performed to find the most significant risk factors for ROP (Stage 1–3), while multivariate multinomial analysis was used to find the most significant risk factors for specific ROP stages, i.e., Stage 1, 2, and 3. Results: The incidence of ROP (Stage 1–3) was 66.40% (164 infants), while that of Stage 1, 2, and 3 ROP was 15.38% (38 infants), 27.53% (68 infants), and 23.48% (58 infants), respectively. Following univariate analysis, multiple perinatal characteristics, i.e., GA; BW; and ventilation, CPAP, and surfactant administration, were found to be statistically significant risk factors for ROP (p < 0.001). However, in a multivariate model using the same characteristics, only BW and ventilation were significant ROP predictors (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). Multivariate multinomial analysis revealed that BW was only significantly correlated with Stage 2 and 3 ROP (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively), while ventilation was only significantly correlated with Stage 2 ROP (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results indicate that GA; BW; and the use of ventilation, CPAP, and surfactant were all significant risk factors for ROP (Stage 1–3), but only BW and ventilation were significantly correlated with ROP and specific stages of the disease, namely Stage 2 and 3 ROP and Stage 2 ROP, respectively, in multivariate models.

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Obstetric Risk Factors Associated with the Development of Periventricular Leukomalacia in Preterm Infants Born to Mothers Complicated by Placenta Previa

Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy ◽

10.1159/000161573 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 345-348 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Nanae Oda ◽

Kyousuke Takeuchi ◽

Ayumi Tanaka ◽

Takeshi Maruo

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Placenta Previa ◽

Periventricular Leukomalacia ◽

Factors Associated

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Antenatal Risk Factors Associated with Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation in Preterm Infants Receiving Postnatal Indomethacin

The Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.01.011 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tamara I. Arnautovic ◽

Jami L. Longo ◽

Elizabeth J. Trail-Burns ◽

Richard Tucker ◽

Martin Keszler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Intestinal Perforation ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation

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Disseminated Candidal Infections and Intravenous Hydrocortisone in Preterm Infants

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.95.6.883 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 95 (6) ◽

pp. 883-887

Author(s):

Carlos M. Botas ◽

Isabel Kurlat ◽

Shirley M. Young ◽

Augusto Sola

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Birth Weight ◽

San Francisco ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Selection Process ◽

Control Group ◽

Major Teaching Hospital ◽

Intensive Care Nursery

Background. Intravenous (IV) hydrocortisone (HC) has been used recently in selected preterm infants for hypotension soon after birth. During the same time period that HC was used, there was a marked increase in the incidence of disseminated candidal infections (DCIs). Objective. To determine whether there is an association between DCI in the first 35 days of life and IV HC in preterm infants. Research design. A hospital case-control study comparing the exposure of HC between preterm infants with DCI and matched infants without DCI. Setting. A tertiary level intensive care nursery in a major teaching hospital in San Francisco, CA. Patients. Seventeen preterm infants with DCI and 25 infants without DCI, with gestational age younger than 28 weeks and birth weight less than 1000 g, inborn and outborn admitted to the intensive care nursery between January 1992 and September 1993. Methods. All preterm infants diagnosed with DCI at younger than 35 days of age were identified using a perinatal and neonatal database. DCI was defined as a blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or two urine cultures positive for Candida requiring antifungal therapy. A control group of uninfected infants matched for the major risk factors for DCI (gestational age, birth weight, duration of intubation, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and IV alimentation, including lipids and central venous catheters) admitted during the same period was identified using the same database. Postmatching comparison was performed for several other factors to detect any other differences between the groups. Results. The infants with DCI (n = 17) and control infants (n = 25) had no statistical difference in exposure to the major risk factors for DCI or in postmatching comparison. Ten (59%) of the infants with DCI were receiving HC at the time of infection, whereas four (16%) of the control infants received HC during the first 35 days of life. Infants with DCI were 7.5 times as likely as control infants (95% confidence interval, 5 to 11) to have received IV HC before the onset of fungal infection. Conclusion. We conclude that the administration of IV HC significantly increases the risk of DCI in susceptible preterm infants younger than 35 days of age. The potentially serious risks of DCI should be considered particularly in the patient selection process for administration of IV HC.

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Recent advances in understanding necrotizing enterocolitis

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.17228.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 107 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Mashriq Alganabi ◽

Carol Lee ◽

Edoardo Bindi ◽

Bo Li ◽

Agostino Pierro

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Necrotizing Enterocolitis ◽

Advanced Disease ◽

Current Understanding ◽

Disease Development ◽

Current Management ◽

Future Directions ◽

Ongoing Research ◽

Factors Associated

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a devastating intestinal disease affecting preterm infants. In spite of ongoing research and advancement in neonatal care, mortality remains high, especially in infants with advanced disease. The mechanism of disease development, the progression of intestinal injury, and management remain areas of ongoing research and controversy. In this review, we examine our current understanding of the disease, its epidemiology, the risk factors associated with the development of the disease, and its pathophysiology. We also describe current management and new emerging research highlighting potential future directions.

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Prevalence, mortality and risk factors associated with very low birth weight preterm infants: an analysis of 33 years

Jornal de Pediatria (Versão em Português) ◽

10.1016/j.jpedp.2019.04.006 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 96 (3) ◽

pp. 327-332

Author(s):

Julia Damiani Victora ◽

Mariangela Freitas Silveira ◽

Cristian Tedesco Tonial ◽

Cesar Gomes Victora ◽

Fernando Celso Barros ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Factors Associated

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Risk Factors for Iron Deficiency in Very Preterm Infants at 4-6 Months Corrected Age

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2020-142442 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 28-28

Author(s):

Carmen Landry ◽

Jon Dorling ◽

Ketan Kulkarni ◽

Marsha Campbell-Yeo ◽

Michael Vincer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Iron Deficiency ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Serum Ferritin ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Iron Supplementation ◽

Gestational Hypertension ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

P Value

Background: Iron is an essential micronutrient, especially in infants and young children and is required for erythropoiesis and development of the central nervous system. However, iron deficiency (ID) is the most common micronutrient deficiency worldwide. ID and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) have been associated with poor neurodevelopmental and behavioural outcomes later in life. Preterm infants are particularly at risk of developing ID in early life due to lower iron stores at birth, accelerated growth in the first weeks of life and multiple phlebotomies while in hospital. Therefore, international recommendations suggest prophylactic iron therapy of 2-4 mg/kg/day starting at 2-6 weeks of age until at least 6-12 months in preterm and low birth weight infants. This prophylactic iron supplementation has been shown to be effective at reducing the incidence of ID and IDA. However, the published work mainly involves moderate to late preterm infants and the research is lacking on iron status after discharge in very preterm infants (VPI, <31 weeks gestational age). Based on our previous work, 32% of the VPIs were iron deficient at 4-6 months corrected age despite this early supplementation. Since the development of ID may have permanent detrimental effects on the developing brain of these high-risk preterm infants, a knowledge of risk factors for ID is also important to identify strategies focused on its prevention. Objective: To investigate the risk factors associated with development of ID Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the IWK Health Centre using a population based provincial Perinatal Follow-Up Program database. All live-born VPIs born in Nova Scotia between 2005-2018 were included. Patients with congenital malformations, chromosomal anomalies, or who died prior to outcome assessment were excluded. As a standard of care, all these infants were started on prophylactic iron supplements (2-3 mg/kg/day) at 2-4 weeks of chronological age. Iron dosage was regularly adjusted during the hospital stay as guided by serum ferritin levels. At discharge, it was recommended to continue iron prophylaxis until 9-12 months corrected age. All these infants underwent a blood test during their first neonatal follow-up visit at 4-6 months corrected age to check for hemoglobin, reticulocyte count and serum ferritin. ID was defined as serum ferritin <20g/l or <12g/l at 4 and 6 months respectively. A univariate analysis was performed by using a series of single variable logistic regression models to identify the factors associated with presence of ID. Factors with a p-value < 0.20 in the univariate analysis were entered into a multivariable risk model for occurrence of ID using a backwards selection procedure. Variables with a p-value < 0.05 were retained. Results: Of 411 infants included in the study, 32.1% (n=132) had ID. The prevalence of ID decreased over time (37.6% in 2005-2011 vs 25.8% in 2012-2018 cohort). Table 1 compares the antenatal and neonatal characteristics of the ID and non-ID groups. Table 2 compares sociodemographic variables and clinical variables at the time of follow up of the two groups. Independent risk factors for ID were: gestational age (<27 weeks to >27 weeks) (OR:1.7 (1.0-2.9), p=0.04) and gestational hypertension (OR: 2.1(1.2-3.7), p=0.009). Independent factors protective for ID were: mixed feeding (breast milk and formula compared to formula alone) (OR: 0.5 (0.2-0.9), p=0.021) and iron supplementation at follow-up (OR:0.5 (0.3-0.9), p=0.02). Conclusion(s): Despite prophylactic iron supplementation, one-third of VPIs had ID at 4-6 months corrected age. Gestational hypertension in mother and gestational age < 27 weeks were independent risk factors for ID. In addition, despite adjusting for iron supplementation at follow-up, the formula feeding group was more likely to have ID compared to the mixed feeding group. This may be because of the sub-therapeutic iron intake in the formula fed infants. It is often thought that formula milk may have sufficient iron to meet the demands of growing infants and thus, they are less likely to receive higher doses of supplemental iron beyond what is contained in the formula. However, this may not be true since the iron present in formula may not have the same bioavailability as breast milk. Future prospective studies are required to further validate these observations. Nonetheless, the study identified important areas to mitigate ID in VPIs. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Prospective Study of 168 Infants with Transient Abnormal Myelopoiesis with Down Syndrome: Japan Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group, TAM-10 Study

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v126.23.1311.1311 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 126 (23) ◽

pp. 1311-1311 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Hideki Muramatsu ◽

Tomoyuki Watanabe ◽

Daisuke Hasegawa ◽

Park Myoung-ja ◽

Shotaro Iwamoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Early Death ◽

Study Group ◽

Pediatric Leukemia ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Transient Abnormal Myelopoiesis ◽

Lymphoma Study Group ◽

Wbc Count

Abstract Introduction: Transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM) occurs in approximately 10% of infants with Down syndrome (DS). Although most patients achieve spontaneous remission, some develop severe organ failure and die in their infancy. Previous studies have identified several risk factors associated with early death in such cases, including a high white blood cell (WBC) count, early gestational age, and ascites (Massey GV, 2006; Muramatsu H, 2008; Klusmann JH, 2008). Although chemotherapy with low-dose cytosine arabinoside (LDCA) has been applied for severe cases, its side effect profile has not been fully demonstrated in an adequate number of patients. Here we prospectively analyzed 168 infants with DS who were diagnosed with TAM, including 52 patients treated with LDCA. We assessed the efficacy and safety of LDCA therapy in these cases. Patient and Methods: Between May 2011 and February 2014, 168 infants (90 boys and 78 girls) were diagnosed with TAM and prospectively registered in the Japan Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group (JPLSG) TAM-10 study. GATA1 gene mutations were identified in all except 7 patients who had a very low blast percentage. The median (range) of WBC count was 38.6 (2.4-478.7) × 109 cells/L, and the median (range) of gestational age was 37 (29-40) weeks. Thirty one (18%) patients developed anasarca at diagnosis, and 23 (14%) patients developed acute megakaryocytic leukemia. Results: The overall survival (OS) rate and the event-free survival (EFS) rate at 1 year from diagnosis [95% confidential interval (CI)] were 86.3% (80.1-90.7), and 80.2% (73.2-85.5), respectively. Univariate analysis identified the following covariates as risk factors associated with early death (<9 months): early gestational age [<37 weeks; hazard ratio (HR; 95% CI) = 4.482 (1.826-10.997), p = 0.001], parenchymal bleeding [HR (95% CI) = 5.746 (2.241-14.734), p < 0.001], anasarca [HR (95% CI) = 13.344 (5.419-32.860), p < 0.001], and high WBC count [ ≥100 × 109 cells/L; HR (95% CI) = 8.013 (3.354-19.144), p < 0.001]. The multivariate Cox hazard model identified anasarca and a high WBC count (≥100 × 109 cells/L) as independent risk factors for early death. With regard to the 52 patients who received LDCA therapy, only anasarca remained an independent risk factor for early death. Subgroup analysis in patients with a high WBC count (≥100 × 109 cells/L; n = 36) showed that LDCA therapy significantly improved survival [1-year OS (95% CI) = 78.3% (55.4-90.3; n = 23) vs. 38.5% (14.1-62.8; n = 13); p = 0.009]. In contrast, the survival rate of patients with anasarca (n = 31) did not improve on receiving LDCA therapy [1-year OS (95% CI) = 58.3% (27.0-80.1; n = 12) vs. 47.4% (24.4-67.3; n = 19); p = 0.525]. The most common side effect of LDCA was neutropenia (grade 3-4 = 59%), and one patient died due to tumor lysis syndrome. Conclusion: This prospective study confirmed that a high WBC count and anasarca are risk factors for early death in patients with DS who were diagnosed with TAM. Although LDCA therapy could significantly improve the survival rate in patients with a high WBC count, it failed to change the prognosis of patients with anasarca. A new treatment modality is required for most severe TAM patients with anasarca at diagnosis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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