[Conditions for neonatal resuscitation in Portuguese delivery rooms: a national survey (2009)].

Introduction: In Portugal, since 1989, the rates of maternal, perinatal and neonatal mortality present a significant decrease, after the implemented perinatal network. The continuous assessment of the existing conditions at the different levels of perinatal care is essential to identify deviations from normality and may allow the optimization of quality of care.

Objectives: To obtain information on and to evaluate the conditions and practices of neonatal resuscitation at the Portuguese delivery rooms, in order to propose measures for improvement of neonatal care.

Cord blood levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 may be early predictors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm newborns small for gestational age.

Introduction: Various cytokines have been associated to the occurrence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm neonates.

Aim: To establish an association between cord blood cytokines and BPD, so that they could be used, in clinical practice, as early markers of BPD.

Material And Methods: Preterms less than 30 weeks gestational age, were analysed by ELISA microassay for venous cord blood IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and IL-10, and compared between the BPD and non-BPD groups.

HLA and bronchopulmonary dysplasia susceptibility: a pilot study.

There is little data on the association between Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) alleles and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) of the preterm newborn. Our aim was to assess associations between HLA alleles and BPD susceptibility. We studied 156 preterm neonates (82 M/ 74 F) < 32 weeks gestational age, alive at 36 weeks gestational age.

Respiratory support strategies for the preterm newborn - National survey 2008.

Background: Respiratory support strategies for the preterm newborn have been the subject of intense research.

Aim: To survey neonatal respiratory support practices in Portugal and to determine whether they reflect evidence from randomised trials.

Methods: Questionnaires were given out to 31 Portuguese neonatal units to determine the types of ventilators, modes of ventilation, lung function monitoring, use of exogenous surfactant, oxygen saturation levels used and the prevalence of chronic lung disease in the preterm newborn.