Prevalence of psychoactive substance use by adolescents in public schools in a municipality in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychoactive substance use by adolescents from public schools. This is a cross-sectional study that used a random sample of adolescents from five public schools located in a municipality in the central-west region of the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil. Information on demographic, socioeconomic, and drug use was collected using self-report questionnaires.

Spontaneous Orofacial Movements at Writhing and Fidgety General Movements Age in Preterm and Full-Term Infants.

Background: As general spontaneous movements at the writhing and fidgety ages have been important for the early identification of neurodevelopmental impairment of both full-term and preterm infants, the knowledge of the spontaneous orofacial movements at these ages also seems to be important for the diagnosis of oral function, particularly in preterm infants. Therefore, we decided to first classify preterm and full-term infants according to general movements ages, and then to record, describe, compare, and discuss their spontaneous orofacial movements.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 51 preterm infants (born between 28 and 36 weeks) and 43 full-term infants who were classified at the writhing and fidgety ages of Prechtl's method of general movements assessment.

Nutritional practices and postnatal growth restriction in preterm newborns.

Objective: to assess the nutritional practices in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) associated with growth retardation in premature (preterm) infants.

Methods: retrospective study of preterm infants weighing between 500 and 1,499 g admitted to NICU. Evolution of growth and parenteral (PN) and enteral (EN) nutrition practices were analyzed.

The training of neonatologists and the paradigms implied in their relationship with the parents of babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Objective: To analyze and to interpret the psychological repercussions generated by the presence of parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for residents in Neonatology.

Methods: Study based on the psychoanalytic theory, involving a methodological interface with qualitative surveys in Health Sciences. Twenty resident physicians in Neonatology, from five public institutions of São Paulo state, responded to a single semi-structured interview.

Neurodevelopmental assessment of very low birth weight preterm infants at corrected age of 18-24 months by Bayley III scales.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of delay and factors associated with neurodevelopmental scores in premature infants.

Methods: Cross-sectional study to assess the development by Bayley Scales III, including very low birth weight preterm infants aged 18 to 24 months who were under follow-up at the outpatient clinic for preterm infants. Congenital malformation, genetic syndrome, symptomatic congenital infection at birth, deafness, and blindness were excluded.

Enamel defects in the complete primary dentition of children born at term and preterm.

Purpose: This study's purpose was to compare the frequency of enamel defects (ED) in the complete primary dentition (CDD) of term children (TC) and preterm children (PTC) and to analyze neonatal factors associated with ED in PTC.

Methods: The study group was formed by 45 PTC, cared for at the Follow-up Clinic for Preterm Children of the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. The control group included 46 school-children born at term.

Impact of perinatal factors on growth deficits of preterm infants.

Objective: To review perinatal factors associated with a growth deficit in preterm infants at a corrected age of one year.

Methods: Cohort study of preterm infants with a birth weight < 2,000 g. Percentiles and Z scores of body weight (W/A), length (L/A) and head circumference (HC/A) at one year of corrected age were calculated by using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention curves.

Bacterial sepsis in Brazilian children: a trend analysis from 1992 to 2006.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiology of hospitalized pediatric sepsis in Brazil (1992-2006) and to compare mortality caused by sepsis to that caused by other major childhood diseases.

Methods And Findings: We performed a retrospective descriptive study of hospital admissions using a government database of all hospital affiliated with the Brazilian health system. We studied all hospitalizations in children from 28 days through 19 years with diagnosis of bacterial sepsis defined by the criteria of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), (Appendix S1).

Diphtheria, tetanus, and varicella immunity in health care workers in neonatal units.

Background: Susceptible health care workers are at risk of acquiring and transmitting vaccine-preventable diseases to or from patients. The objective of this study was to assess antibody levels against diphtheria, tetanus, and varicella in healthcare workers.

Methods: Antibody levels against diphtheria, tetanus, and varicella were measured in health care professionals in 2 neonatal units at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Chest expansion for assessing tidal volume in premature newborn infants on ventilators.

Objectives: To investigate whether clinical observation of chest expansion predicts tidal volume in neonates on mechanical ventilation and whether observer experience interferes with results.

Methods: An observational study that enrolled less experienced physicians in the first year of pediatric residency, moderately experienced (second year pediatric residency, first year of neonatology or pediatric intensive care specialization) or who were already experienced (second year neonatology specialization, graduate students or primary physician supervisors with minimum experience of 4 years in neonatology). These professionals observed the chest expansion of newborn infants on mechanical ventilation and estimated the tidal volume being supplied to the babies.

Is breast milk collected at home suitable for raw consumption by neonates in Brazilian public neonatal intensive care units?

This study was designed to verify if breast milk collected at home is appropriate for raw consumption by neonates in a Brazilian public neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). From May 1998 to February 2000, microbiological characteristics of breast milk samples collected at home were analyzed. The milk samples were considered appropriate for raw consumption if mesophilic bacteria count was < 2500 CFU/mL and potential pathogens were not detected.

Reliability of two behavioral tools to assess pain in preterm neonates.

Context: One of the main difficulties in adequately treating the pain of neonatal patients is the scarcity of validated pain evaluation methods for this population.

Objective: To analyze the reliability of two behavioral pain scales in neonates.

Type Of Study: Cross-sectional.

Antenatal treatment with corticosteroids for preterm neonates: impact on the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and intra-hospital mortality.

Context: Although the benefits of antenatal corticosteroids have been widely demonstrated in other countries, there are few studies among Brazilian newborn infants.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of antenatal corticosteroids on the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and intra-hospital mortality among neonates with a gestational age of less than 34 weeks.

Type Of Study: Cross-sectional.