NT-PROBNP as a screening tool for low-risk patent ductus arteriousus: a follow-up validation study.

The purpose of the study is to test whether NT-proBNP serves as a screening tool for low-risk patent ductus arteriosus and safely avoids routine early echocardiography. This is a prospective observational study in preterm infants ≤32 weeks of gestational age. Infants with ≥5100 pg/ml (positive screening) at 48-72 hours of life received comprehensive echocardiography and were treated according to shunt severity.

Effects of Maternal Stress on Breast Milk Production and the Microbiota of Very Premature Infants.

Perinatal stress experienced by mothers of very premature newborns may influence the mother's milk and the infant's intestinal microbiota. This prospective study of mothers of very preterm infants fed with mother's own milk (MOM) was carried out in a tertiary hospital over a 2-year period. The assessment of maternal stress in 45 mothers of 52 very preterm newborns using the parental stress scale (PSS:NICU) revealed an inverse relationship between stress and MOM production in the first days of life ( = 0.

Care levels in neonatal units in Spain: an updated vision for a new reality.

The Spanish Society of Neonatology established the care levels of the Neonatal Units in Spain in 2013. Since then, the birth rate in our country, as well as the universalization of knowledge, techniques and patient treatment devices, has evolved significantly. This situation forces a redefinition of the current levels of care based on quality criteria that allow better comparability between the Units and represents a challenge to improve the care of our newborns.

Recommendations for transfusion of blood products in neonatology.

The scant evidence on the use of transfusions in neonatal care explains the limitations of current clinical guidelines. Despite this, in this document we explore the most recent evidence to make recommendations for the clinical practice. The prevention of anaemia of prematurity, the use of protocols and restrictive transfusion strategies constitute the best approach for clinicians in this field.

Perinatal palliative care.

Perinatal Palliative Care is a model of care designed to prevent and treat the physical, spiritual, emotional, and social needs of fetuses and newborn infants with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions. The care extends to the infant's family. It is delivered by an interdisciplinary team to improve the quality of life from the time of diagnosis (possibly in utero) into death and bereavement (days, months or years later).

Sedoanalgesia in neonatal units.

Pain recognition and management continues to be a challenge for health professionals in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Many of the patients are routinely exposed to repeated painful experiences with demonstrated short- and long-term consequences. Preterm babies are a vulnerable high-risk population.

Home births: A growing phenomenon with potential risks.

Home birth is a controversial issue that raises safety concerns for paediatricians and obstetricians. Hospital birth was the cornerstone to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. This reduction in mortality has resulted in considering pregnancy and childbirth as a safe procedure, which, together with a greater social awareness of the need for the humanisation of these processes, have led to an increase in the demand for home birth.

Validation of an IGF1 Screening Method for Retinopathy of Pre-maturity.

Retinopathy of pre-maturity (ROP) is a retinal disease that causes arrest of vascularization of the retina and can result in retinal detachment and blindness. Current screening protocols may not be sufficiently accurate to identify all at-risk patients. The aim of this study is to validate a method for improved identification of newborns at risk of ROP.

[Home births: A growing phenomenon with potential risks].

Home birth is a controversial issue that raises safety concerns for paediatricians and obstetricians. Hospital birth was the cornerstone to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. This reduction in mortality has resulted in considering pregnancy and childbirth as a safe procedure, which, together with a greater social awareness of the need for the humanisation of these processes, have led to an increase in the demand for home birth.

Rapid Phenotype-Driven Gene Sequencing with the NeoSeq Panel: A Diagnostic Tool for Critically Ill Newborns with Suspected Genetic Disease.

New genomic sequencing techniques have shown considerable promise in the field of neonatology, increasing the diagnostic rate and reducing time to diagnosis. However, several obstacles have hindered the incorporation of this technology into routine clinical practice. We prospectively evaluated the diagnostic rate and diagnostic turnaround time achieved in newborns with suspected genetic diseases using a rapid phenotype-driven gene panel (NeoSeq) containing 1870 genes implicated in congenital malformations and neurological and metabolic disorders of early onset (<2 months of age).

[Recommendations for the care of the umbilical cord in the newborn].

The care of the umbilical cord until its detachment still remains controversial. The latest updated recommendations by the World Health Organisation advocate dry cord care in those countries with adequate obstetric care and low neonatal mortality rate. In recent years, new studies and reviews attribute some benefit to applying chlorhexidine on the umbilical stump.

Congenital intestinal atresias with multiple episodes of sepsis: A case report and review of literature.

Introduction: Hereditary multiple intestinal atresia associated with severe combined immunodeficiency (MIA-SCID) is a very rare disease caused by deleterious mutations in the tetratricopeptide repeat domain-containing protein 7A gene TTC7A. It is characterized by intestinal obstruction, sepsis, and a poor prognosis. Insights into phenotype-genotype correlations could help to guide genetic counseling and increase our knowledge of the natural history of this disease.

Early NT-proBNP levels as a screening tool for the detection of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus during the first week of life in very low birth weight infants.

Objective: To assess whether early NT-ProBNP can identify the need for echocardiographic assessment of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (HsPDA) in preterm infants.

Study Design: Prospective observational study of infants with a gestational age ≤32 weeks. Echocardiographic assessment and NT-proBNP measurement were performed at 48-96 h.

Relevance of urinary S100B protein levels as a short-term prognostic biomarker in asphyxiated infants treated with hypothermia.

The initial diagnosis of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is based on nervous system clinical manifestations. The use of biomarkers to monitor brain injury and evaluate neuroprotective effects allows early intervention and treatment. This study was designed to determine the short-term prognostic significance of urinary S100B calcium-binding protein (S100B) in asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia.

[Pulse oximetry screening of critical congenital heart defects in the neonatal period. The Spanish National Neonatal Society recommendation].

Due to its severity, as well as the consequences of a late diagnosis, critical congenital heart defects (CCHD) represent a challenging situation, making an early diagnosis necessary and ideally before symptoms appear when circulatory collapse or death of the newborn can occur. Due to this, a prenatal and very early postnatal diagnosis is very important. Prenatal ultrasound screening and physical examination of the newborn can miss a considerable number of CCHD cases.

[Guidelines for prevention, detection and management of hyperbilirubinaemia in newborns of 35 or more weeks of gestation].

Hyperbilirubinaemia is one of the most frequent causes of hospital readmission during the first week of life. Its detection is still a big challenge, mainly due to the early discharge from the hospital that can be associated with a delay of the diagnosis. The identification of those newborns at risk of developing significant hyperbilirubinaemia is one of the main priorities in the public health care system.

[Recommendations for the unequivocal identification of the newborn].

Newborn identification is a legal right recognised by international and national laws. Moreover, improving the accuracy of correct patient identification is an important goal of patient safety solutions programs. In this article, the Standards Committee of the Spanish Society of Neonatology establishes recommendations to ensure correct identification of the newborn whilst in hospital.

Tension pneumocephalus induced by high-flow nasal cannula ventilation in a neonate.

The use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy as respiratory support for preterm infants has increased rapidly worldwide. The evidence available for the use of HFNC is as an alternative to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and in particular to prevent postextubation failure. We report a case of tension pneumocephalus in a preterm infant as a complication during HFNC ventilation.

[Hospital discharge criteria for very low birth weight newborns].

Hospital discharge criteria for the pre-term newborn are mainly based on physiological competences (thermoregulation, respiratory stability, and feeding skills), although family support and ability to care for the baby, as well as a well-planned discharge are also cornerstones to ensure a successful discharge. In this article, the Committee of Standards of the Spanish Society of Neonatology reviews the current hospital discharge criteria in order for it to be useful as a clinical guide in Spanish neonatal units.