Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: A Tool for Diagnosing Necrotizing Enterocolitis at Onset of Symptoms in Preterm Neonates with Acute Gastrointestinal Symptoms?

Objective: In premature neonates, bloody stools and/or abdominal distension with feeding intolerance may be inaugural signs of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). We assessed the ability of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to distinguish those neonates with NEC soon after the occurrence of these symptoms.

Study Design: We prospectively collected NIRS measurements of abdominal and cerebral regional tissue oxygen saturation (r-SO), with values masked by an opaque cover.

NUTRI-REAPED study: nutritional assessment of French critically ill children and nutrition practice survey in French-speaking pediatric intensive care units.

Background: Impaired nutritional status is adversely associated with suboptimal outcomes in critically ill children. Undernutrition at pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission ranges from 15 to 65%. A lack of knowledge of the nutritional status of children in French PICUs prevents us from specifically targeting education.

A Nursing Survey on Nutritional Care Practices in French-Speaking Pediatric Intensive Care Units: NutriRéa-Ped 2014.

Objectives: Malnutrition in critically ill children contributes to morbidity and mortality. The French-speaking pediatric intensive care nutrition group (NutriSIP) aims to promote optimal nutrition through education and research.

Methods: The NutriSIP-designed NutriRéa-Ped study included a cross-sectional survey.

Probiotics and growth in preterm infants: A randomized controlled trial, PREMAPRO study.

Background & Aims: Recent studies have suggested that the gut microflora has metabolic effects. We aimed to evaluate postnatal growth in preterm infants who received different probiotic supplements, and to assess the safety of probiotic administration.

Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was performed at three tertiary care neonatal units.

Clostridium butyricum Strains and Dysbiosis Linked to Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Neonates.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common and serious gastrointestinal disorder among preterm neonates. We aimed to assess a specific gut microbiota profile associated with NEC.

Methods: Stool samples and clinical data were collected from 4 geographically independent neonatal intensive care units, over a 48-month period.

High-flow nasal cannula: recommendations for daily practice in pediatrics.

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is a relatively new device for respiratory support. In pediatrics, HFNC use continues to increase as the system is easily set up and is well tolerated by patients. The use of nasal cannula adapted to the infant's nares size to deliver heated and humidified gas at high flow rates has been associated with improvements in washout of nasopharyngeal dead space, lung mucociliary clearance, and oxygen delivery compared with other oxygen delivery systems.

Temporal dynamics of the very premature infant gut dominant microbiota.

Background: The very-preterm infant gut microbiota is increasingly explored due to its probable role in the development of life threatening diseases. Results of high-throughput studies validate and renew the interest in approaches with lower resolution such as PCR-Temporal Temperature Gel Electrophoresis (TTGE) for the follow-up of dominant microbiota dynamics. We report here an extensive longitudinal study of gut colonization in very preterm infants.

tuf-PCR-temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis for molecular detection and identification of staphylococci: application to breast milk and neonate gut microbiota.

Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) are a leading cause of infections in preterm infants, mostly involved in late-onset infection in low birth weight neonates. The epidemiology and pathophysiology of these infections remain unclear, notably because the causing agents are gathered in the artificial CoNS group. The aim of this work was to optimize the study of Staphylococcus species diversity in human breast milk and neonate stool, two sample types with bacterial communities dominated by CoNS, using PCR-temporal temperature gel electrophoresis based on the tuf gene.

Thoracic computed tomography in absent pulmonary valve syndrome management.

A neonate with absent pulmonary valve syndrome (APVS) and features of tetralogy of Fallot presented respiratory distress. The prolonged need for mechanical ventilation was an indication for surgical repair. Preoperative thoracic CT imaging showed nearly complete closure of the distal trachea, compressed by the aneurysmal dilatation of the pulmonary arteries, and its reopening after ventilator pressure was increased.

6 cmH2O continuous positive airway pressure versus conventional oxygen therapy in severe viral bronchiolitis: a randomized trial.

Objective: To compare the effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) and conventional oxygen therapy on the clinical signs of respiratory distress and the respiratory muscle workload in acute viral bronchiolitis.

Design: Prospective, randomized, monocentric study carried out in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university hospital.

Patients: Infants <6 months old, admitted to the PICU with severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.

Dynamics and clinical evolution of bacterial gut microflora in extremely premature patients.

Objective: To determine baseline clinical characteristics that influence bacterial gut flora dynamics in very preterm infants and the relationship between gut flora dynamics and clinical evolution.

Study Design: Prospective, monocentric study enrolling 29 consecutive very preterm infants. We collected data about growth, digestive tolerance, nutrition, and antibiotic use.

Optimized PCR-Temporal Temperature Gel Electrophoresis compared to cultivation to assess diversity of gut microbiota in neonates.

Temporal Temperature Gel Electrophoresis of amplified 16S rRNA gene sequences (16S rDNA PCR-TTGE) constitutes a culture-independent molecular method used to study bacterial communities. All the technical steps are crucial for quality and exhaustiveness of the results obtained by such approach. Careful optimization of the protocols used is ideally needed for each ecosystem studied.

Validation of a neonatal pain scale adapted to the new practices in caring for preterm newborns.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND Neonatal pain assessment generally requires access to facial expression. Improved neonatology practices, such as greater protection against bright lights and non-invasive mask ventilation, have made facial observation more difficult.

Objective: To validate a 'faceless' acute neonatal pain scale (FANS), which does not depend on facial expression.