Mucormycosis: An Uncommon Cutaneous Infection at Permanent Pacemaker-Implanted Site in a Very Low-Birthweight Baby

Permanent pacemaker implantation in low birthweight (LBW) babies with congenital complete heart block is extremely challenging due to a paucity of appropriate pulse generator placement pocket sites. The development of infection following an implantation procedure can pose a life-threatening risk to the patients. With more patients in the younger group receiving these devices than ever before and the rate of infection increasing rapidly, a closer look at the burden of infection and its impact on outcome of these patients is warranted. We report mucormycosis infection at the abdominal pacemaker pocket site of an infant requiring pacemaker explantation and re-insertion into the intrapleural space.

Prevalence and Infant Mortality of Major Congenital Malformations Stratified by Birthweight

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Low birthweight and major congenital malformations (MCMs) are key causes of infant mortality. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of MCMs in infants with low and very low birthweight and analyze the impact of MCMs and birthweight on infant mortality. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We determined prevalence and infant mortality of 28 life-threatening MCMs in very-low-birthweight (&#x3c;1,500 g, VLBW), low-birthweight (1,500–2,499 g, LBW), or normal-birthweight (≥2,500 g, NBW) infants in a cohort of 2,727,002 infants born in Germany in 2006–2017, using de-identified administrative data of the largest statutory public health insurance system in Germany. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The rates of VLBW, LBW, and NBW infants studied were 1.3% (34,401), 4.0% (109,558), and 94.7% (2,583,043). MCMs affected 0.5% (13,563) infants, of whom &#x3e;75% (10,316) had severe congenital heart disease. The prevalence (per 10,000) of any/cardiac MCM was increased in VLBW (286/176) and LBW (244/143), as compared to NBW infants (38/32). Infant mortality rates were significantly higher in infants with an MCM, as opposed to infants without an MCM, in each birthweight group (VLBW 28.5% vs. 11.5%, LBW 16.7% vs. 0.9%, and NBW 8.6% vs. 0.1%). For most MCMs, observed survival rates in VLBW and LBW infants were lower than expected, as calculated from survival rates of VLBW or LBW infants without an MCM, and NBW infants with an MCM. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Infants with an MCM are more often born with LBW or VLBW, as opposed to infants without an MCM. Many MCMs carry significant excess mortality when occurring in VLBW or LBW infants.

Length of Nutritional Transition Associates Negatively with Postnatal Growth in Very Low Birthweight Infants

Very low birthweight (VLBW, <1500 g) infants may be predisposed to undernutrition during the nutritional transition phase from parenteral to enteral nutrition. We studied the associations among the length of the transition phase, postnatal macronutrient intake, and growth from birth to term equivalent age in VLBW infants. This retrospective cohort study included 248 VLBW infants born before 32 weeks of gestation and admitted to the Children’s Hospital, Helsinki, Finland during 2005–2013. Daily nutrient intakes were obtained from computerized medication administration records. The length of the transition phase correlated negatively with cumulative energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake at 28 days of age. It also associated negatively with weight and head circumference growth from birth to term equivalent age. For infants with a long transition phase (over 12 d), the estimates (95% CI) for weight and head circumference z-score change from birth to term equivalent age were −0.3 (−0.56, −0.04) and −0.44 (−0.81, −0.07), respectively, in comparison to those with a short transition phase (ad 7 d). For VLBW infants, rapid transition to full enteral feeding might be beneficial. However, if enteral nutrition cannot be advanced, well-planned parenteral nutrition during the transition phase is necessary to promote adequate growth.

Nutritional supplementation and growth after hospital discharge in very low birthweight newborns: Randomized controlled trial / Suplementação nutricional e crescimento de recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso após alta hospitalar: Ensaio clínico randomizado

Background Evidence is insufficient to show whether fortification has any effect on growth in preterm infants after discharge. Objective to verify whether VLBW preterm infants who are supplemented with multicomponent present greater anthropometric measurements than those not supplemented. Study Design Parallel randomized controlled trial. A computer-generated random number table was used to allocate the participants. Participants Preterm infants discharged from the NICU of a University Hospital from northeast, Brazil, weighing less than 1,500 g exclusively breastfed at discharge and followed up until they reached 6 months corrected gestational age. Intervention intervention group received Nestlé® PreNan® formula, fractionated in 2 g of powder, mixed with the mother's milk twice a day. Control group was exclusively breastfed. Follow-up was conducted until the infants reached 6 months corrected gestational age (CGA). Outcomes Growth of the anthropometrics parameters weight, head circumference (HC) and lenth with 6 months of corrected age. Mixed effects model for longitudinal data was used. Interaction according to sex was detected and ajusted. Results Weight gain was significantly higher in the intervention group. This effect was verified only for males (p = 0.001). No statistically significant association was observed between the intervention and the head circumference or length (p = 0.211; 0.597). The weaning rate at the end of follow-up was similar in both groups. Conclusions Breastmilk supplementation may improve the weight gain of very low birthweight preterm infants up to six months corrected gestational age. This effect differed by sex and was considered significant only for males.