Prenatal and postnatal prophylaxis of infections in preterm neonates.

Administration of gamma-globulin for intravenous administration (IVIG) to preterm neonates (0.3 g/day in neonates below 1000 g; 0.5 g/day in neonates over 1000 g for 6 consecutive days) led to a significant rise in circulating serum IgG levels.

[Hepatitis B screening in late pregnancy and results of immunization in newborn infants].

Screening for hepatitis Bs antigen in late pregnancy was introduced in mid-1983 at the University Women's Hospital, Berne. 4118 pregnant women had been investigated by the end of 1986, of whom 26 (0.63%) turned out to be HBsAg positive.

Qualitative changes of white blood cells and perinatal diagnosis of infection in high-risk preterm infants.

A total of 60 preterm infants, aged less than 37 weeks of gestation were studied. Morphological changes of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) were evaluated in two groups of patients. PMN vacuolization was frequently noted at birth in preterm neonates with culture-proven infection (sensitivity 86%, specificity 90%).

Postnatal thyroxine administration for idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants.

Thirty-six preterm infants of less than 34 weeks of gestation with idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) were studied. Eighteen of them were treated with intravenous thyroxine (T4) and compared with 18 control prematures to evaluate the effect of postnatal T4 administration on the course of IRDS. After treatment, serum T4 levels were similar to those of healthy term infants.

Relationship between peri-intraventricular hemorrhage and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in very low-birthweight infants.

The incidence of hyperbilirubinemia (serum bilirubin values greater than 205 mumol/l) in two groups of preterm infants (birthweight less than 1500 gm) with and without peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) was studied. In the first 10 days of life, 16 (39%) of the 41 infants with PIVH vs. 22 (46.

Neurosonographic and biochemical correlates of periventricular leukomalacia in low-birth-weight infants.

The incidence of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) was investigated by ultrasound in a group of 119 consecutively scanned low-birth-weight infants during a period of 3 years. The overall incidence of PVL was 6.7% while the incidence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage was 44.

Fetal sex and distribution of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.

Peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) is an important complication of the brain in immature newborn infants. In a real-time ultrasound study with frequent scanning of 78 preterm infants (50 with birth-weight less than 1,500 g and 28 weighing more than 1,500 g), we examined the influence of sex on the occurrence of PIVH. A significant difference between sexes was only found in the group with birth-weight below 1,500 g.

Incidence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in premature neonates weighing more than 1500 g.

With the advent of modern methods of neonatal care, intracranial hemorrhage probably has become the most common neurological complication in premature infants weighing less than 1500 g at birth. This paper is a prospective study of 75 preterm infants of 34 weeks gestation or more and birth weight above 1500 g (range 1500 g to 2500 g). All neonates were screened by cranial ultra-sonography for evidence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH).

Incidence of retinopathy of prematurity in low birth weight infants with peri-intraventricular hemorrhage.

Data from 80 high-risk low birth infants were analysed to determine whether there is a clinical association between Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) and Peri-Intraventricular Hemorrhages (PIVH) in preterm newborns. Diagnosis of retinopathy was made by retinal examination at approximately four weeks of age. All infants were routinely and repeatedly scanned by real-time ultrasound to diagnose the presence of Peri-Intraventricular Hemorrhages.

Correlation of raised cord-blood CK-BB and the development of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.

This study concerns the prognostic value of total cord-blood CK-BB activity measured with a new method in preterm infants at risk of PIVH. Twenty-six patients with gestational age less than 36 weeks were studied. The presence of PIVH was proved by either ultrasound scans or autopsy.

Transplacental passage of intravenous immunoglobulin in the last trimester of pregnancy.

Immunoglobulin G was given intravenously (IVIgG) to pregnant women (27 to 36 weeks gestation) with signs of chorioamnionitis who were at risk for preterm delivery. Twenty-four patients received antibiotics alone (control group). Twenty-seven patients received the same antibiotics in combination with IVIgG, either 12 gm in 12 hours (low IVIgG dosage) or 24 gm on each of 5 consecutive days (high IVIgG dosage).

Serum creatine-kinase-BB and brain damage in high-risk newborn infants. Preliminary study with a new method for CK-BB estimation.

CK-BB activity increases after hypoxic conditions associated with central nervous system disease. Fifty-four high-risk newborn babies were studied with serial measurements of CK-BB activities during the first 3 postnatal days. These values were correlated to their early neurologic outcome at 5 months of age.

Accuracy of Apgar score and arterial cord-blood pH in diagnosis of perinatal brain-damage assessed by CK-BB isoenzyme measurement.

This study was carried out on 45 newborns to evaluate the accuracy of 1 minute Apgar score and umbilical arterial pH for prediction of the risk of perinatal brain damage. Using a new and very sensitive method for CK-BB determination, which is considered a good indicator of brain damage, CK-BB was used as reference. Patients with low Apgar score at one minute of life had significantly higher cord blood CK-BB values than the control group (p less than 0.

Experience with intravenous immunoglobulin treatment in neonates and pregnant women.

Results of 2 methods to treat infection in the neonate are reported. One study demonstrates a decrease in mortality and recurrent infection when neonates with septicemia were given intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). In another study, IVIG was administered to pregnant women with symptoms of infection and at risk for preterm delivery.

Obstructive ventriculomegaly.

Intracranial Hemorrhage (ICH) occurs primarily in premature infants, and post-hemorrhagic ventricular dilatation is a well-known complication in this age-group. Blood clots within the ventricle are diagnostic of ICH but not usually seen. In our case Real-Time Ultrasonography has proved to be very helpful to identify intraventricular hematomas and to control obstructive ventriculomegaly without therapeutic intervention.

Fetal ventriculomegaly, agenesis of the corpus callosum and chromosomal translocation--case report.

Real-time ultrasound was used to evaluate intracranial anatomy and ventricular size in a child with fetal ventriculomegaly. It was associated with agenesis of the corpus callosum and chromosomal translocation. Serial measurements of cerebral ventricular dilatation at various gestational age may improve perinatal management of the newborn with fetal ventricular enlargement.

Neurological prognosis of high-risk preterm infants with peri-intraventricular hemorrhage and ventricular dilatation.

Fifty-eight preterm neonates evaluated by real-time sonographic scanning of the head were prospectively studied. They were divided into three groups: 13 with peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) alone, 19 with subsequent ventricular dilatation and 26 control infants without ultrasound evidence of PIVH. At 12 months of age detailed neurological follow-up assessment was carried out.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension in preterm-infants.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a cyanotic syndrome that occurs primarily in full-term and postmature infants and causes right-to-left shunts at the atrial or ductal levels or both. Term babies with PPHN show structural changes in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle as a result of chronic prenatal distress. It is our opinion that in preterm babies the PPHN syndrome also exists.

[Incidence of occipital ventriculomegaly in premature infants with peri-intraventricular hemorrhage].

Ventricular dilatation after periventricular/intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) is a more common complication than was assumed before the advent of ultrasound. In this prospective study based on 264 ultrasonic head scans, the true incidence of ventriculomegaly was investigated in two groups of preterm infants with PIVH. The major incidence of PIVH in babies with less than 34 weeks of gestation (p less than 0.

Double direction phototherapy and light-induced genetic abnormalities in human lymphocytes.

The irradiation of jaundiced infants with fluorescent lights is currently the most common method of treating neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. To investigate whether phototherapy is capable of damaging the genetic material, peripheral lymphocytes of ten jaundiced newborns were studied. Chromosomal analyses were carried out before and after 24 h of treatment with double blue light phototherapy at wavelengths from 420 to 500 nm.