Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition

OBJECTIVE: Mask positive pressure ventilation (PPV) in the delivery room is routinely delivered with set peak inflation pressures. To aid mask PPV, stand-alone respiratory function monitors (RFMs) have been used in the delivery room, while ventilator-based, volume-targeted ventilation (VTV) is routinely used in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). DESIGN: This is a prospective, randomised, crossover simulation study. Participants were briefly trained to use a neonatal ventilator for volume-targeted mask ventilation (VTV-PPV), then performed mask ventilation on a manikin in a randomised order using VTV-PPV, T-piece PPV or T-piece PPV with RFM visible...

The placenta contains valuable clinical information that is linked to fetal development, neonatal morbidity and mortality, and future health outcomes. Both gross inspection and histopathological examination of the placenta may identify intrinsic or secondary placental lesions, which can contribute directly to adverse neonatal outcomes or indicate the presence of an unfavourable intrauterine environment. Placental examination therefore forms an essential component of the care of high-risk neonates and at perinatal post-mortem examination...

OBJECTIVE: Staphylococcus capitis , a coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) species, has been increasingly detected from UK sterile site samples and has caused neonatal unit outbreaks worldwide. We compared survival to discharge and 30-day mortality for the detection of S. capitis versus other CoNS species. METHODS: In this retrospective case-control study, we included hospitalised infants with any CoNS species detected from a normally sterile body site up to 90 days of age...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between neuroimaging and outcome in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), focusing on qualitative MRI and quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging of white matter abnormalities (WMAs). METHODS: Multicentre retrospective cohort study of 160 infants with cCMV (103 symptomatic). A four-grade neuroimaging scoring system was applied to cranial ultrasonography and MRI acquired at ≤3 months. WMAs were categorised as multifocal or diffuse...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

High-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is an established mode of respiratory support in the neonatal intensive care unit. Large clinical trial data is based on first intention use in preterm infants with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Clinical practice has evolved from this narrow population. HFOV is most often reserved for term and preterm infants with severe, and often complex, respiratory failure not responding to conventional modalities of respiratory support. Thus, optimal, and safe, application of HFOV requires the clinician to adapt mean airway pressure, frequency, inspiratory:expiratory ratio and tidal volume to individual patient needs based on pathophysiology, lung volume state and infant size...

OBJECTIVE: A shared decision-making (SDM) approach is recommended for prenatal decisions at the limit of viability, with a guiding role for parental values. People born extremely premature experience the consequences of the decision made, but information about their perspectives on prenatal decisions is lacking. Therefore, this study aims to describe their perspectives on what is important in decision-making at the limit of viability. DESIGN: Semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim...

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effect modifiers of systemic hydrocortisone in ventilated very preterm infants for survival and neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years' corrected age (CA). DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a randomised placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Dutch and Belgian neonatal intensive care units. PATIENTS: Infants born <30 weeks' gestational age (GA), ventilator-dependent in the second week of postnatal life...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between gestational age classification at birth and the risk of neurodevelopmental impairments at age 3 years. DESIGN: Cohort study using the Japan Environment and Children's Study database. PATIENTS: A total of 86 138 singleton children born without physical abnormalities at 32-41 weeks of gestation enrolled between January 2011 and March 2014. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neurodevelopmental impairment, evaluated using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (third edition)...

BACKGROUND: Perinatal advance care planning (PnACP) is a process of formal decision-making to help families plan for their baby's care when recognised that they may have a life-limiting condition. While PnACP is recommended in policy, there is a lack of evidence to support implementation and development in the perinatal setting. OBJECTIVE: To conduct an online survey of UK and Ireland perinatal providers to examine how PnACP is operationalised in current practice...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the growth trajectory of children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) during the first year, to assess the risk factors for growth failure (GF) at 1 year and to determine nutritional intakes at discharge required for early optimal growth. DESIGN: Single-centre retrospective cohort study based on data from a structured follow-up programme. SETTING AND PATIENTS: All neonates with CDH (2013-2019) alive at discharge and followed up to age 1...

OBJECTIVE: To collect data on content/face validity and interobserver agreement for a Neonatal Coma Score (NCS) in well full-term neonates and on construct validity in unwell and preterm babies, specifically how the NCS changed with gestational age and illness. DESIGN: Prospective cohort studies. SETTING: Two UK tertiary neonatal units (Sheffield and Leeds). PATIENTS: 151 well full-term (≥37 weeks gestational age) newborn babies recruited between January and February 2020 in Sheffield and April and May 2021 in Leeds; 101 sick preterm and full-term babies admitted to Sheffield neonatal unit between January 2021 and May 2022...

OBJECTIVE: The ALBINO Trial (NCT03162653) investigates effects of very early postnatal allopurinol on neurocognitive outcome following perinatal asphyxia where prenatal informed consent (IC) is impossible. Ethically and legally, waiver of consent and/or deferred consent (DC) is acceptable in such an emergency. Short oral/two-step consent (SOC, brief information and oral consent followed by IC) has recently been investigated. METHODS: Mixed-methods analysis of parental opinions on DC versus SOC in the context of neonatal asphyxia in a survey at two German centres...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of a pre-emptive apnoea triggered oxygen response on oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) targeting following central apnoea in preterm infants. DESIGN: Interventional crossover study of a 12-hour period of automated oxygen control with an apnoea response (AR) module, nested within a crossover study of a 24-hour period of automated oxygen control compared with aggregated data from two flanking 12-hour periods of manual control. SETTING: Neonatal intensive care unit PATIENTS: Preterm infants receiving non-invasive respiratory support and supplemental oxygen; median (IQR) birth gestation 27 (26-28) weeks, postnatal age 17 (12-23) days...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVE: Glycaemia in newborns changes significantly after birth; however, little is known about these changes. The objective was to describe continuous interstitial glucose values in term newborns who were exclusively breast fed on the first day of life. DESIGN: We studied 159 newborns with appropriate weights for gestational age, who were exclusively breast fed on the first day of life, using a continuous glucose monitoring device that calculates interstitial glucose every 5 min...

OBJECTIVE: Measuring exhaled carbon dioxide (ECO2 ) during non-invasive ventilation at birth may provide information about lung aeration. However, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) only recommends ECO2 detection for confirming endotracheal tube placement. ILCOR has therefore prioritised a research question that needs to be urgently evaluated: 'In newborn infants receiving intermittent positive pressure ventilation by any non-invasive interface at birth, does the use of an ECO2 monitor in addition to clinical assessment, pulse oximetry and/or ECG, compared with clinical assessment, pulse oximetry and/or ECG only, decrease endotracheal intubation in the delivery room, improve response to resuscitation, improve survival or reduce morbidity?'...