Decreased neonatal jaundice readmission rate after implementing hyperbilirubinemia guidelines and universal screening for bilirubin.

Readmission rate for neonatal jaundice approximate 10 per 1000 live births. After applying hyperbilirubinemia guidelines and universal screening for bilirubin in term and near-term newborns, the readmission rate declined significantly from 24 to 3.7 per 1000 live births.

Plasma glucose concentrations in profound neonatal hypoglycemia.

The study goal was to define low thresholds of plasma glucose concentrations that constitute profound hypoglycemia. Population analysis was performed on research publications on neonatal hypoglycemia ascertained by a Medline search. Eligible patients had neurological sequelae associated directly and primarily with hypoglycemia (profound hypoglycemia).

Population meta-analysis of low plasma glucose thresholds in full-term normal newborns.

There is extreme variation in the definition of low plasma glucose levels in newborn infants in the first postnatal days, ranging from < 30 to < or = 60 mg/dL. The goal of the present study was to define low thresholds (< or = 5th percentile) of plasma glucose concentrations in full-term normal newborns during the first 72 hours of life. Population meta-analysis was performed on published studies of neonatal hypoglycemia ascertained by MedLine search.

Brain imaging findings in neonatal hypoglycemia: case report and review of 23 cases.

A hypoglycemic infant with secondary occipital brain injury defined by serial computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging is described. An additional 22 similar cases were previously published in the English language literature. A total of 23 cases (including the present case) were reviewed.

Neurologic aspects of neonatal hypoglycemia.

Profound neonatal hypoglycemia is one of the leading causes of brain injury. Hypoglycemic encephalopathy is caused by lack of glucose availability to brain cells. Although sharing a similar pathogenesis with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, hypoglycemic brain insult has distinctive metabolic, brain imaging, electroencephalographic and histopathologic findings.

Hemodynamic changes in anemic premature infants: are we allowing the hematocrits to fall too low?

Objective: Currently, many nurseries allow hematocrits to fall to <21% in apparently "stable" premature infants before considering a blood transfusion. We evaluated clinical changes and hemodynamic changes by echocardiogram in "stable" anemic premature infants before, during, and after transfusion.

Methods: "Stable" premature infants (< or =32 weeks' gestation) who were to receive transfusions (2 aliquots of 10 mL/kg packed red blood cells, 12 hours apart) were eligible for prospective enrollment.