Lung ultrasound score parallels trends in systemic haemodynamics after PDA ligation: a case series.

Unlabelled: B-lines in lung ultrasound (LU) are non-specific but highly informative sign of interstitial pulmonary oedema (iPE). Sustained exposure to a high-volume left-to-right patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) shunt is associated with iPE. Cardiorespiratory deterioration, named post-ligation cardiac syndrome (PLCS), may follow surgical ligation between 6 and 12 h post-operatively.

Pulmonary hypertension in a neonatologist-performed echocardiographic follow-up of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Neonatologist-performed echocardiography (NPE) is an established tool for bedside hemodynamic evaluation, including pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH may complicate bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) course. Aims of this retrospective study were to assess the feasibility of NPE follow-up of infants with BPD and to describe the course of PH of infants with moderate/severe BPD.

Lung function between 8 and 15 years of age in very preterm infants with fetal growth restriction.

Background: The impact of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) on lung function in very preterm children is largely unknown as current evidence is mainly based on studies in children born small for gestational age but not necessarily with IUGR.

Methods: Spirometry, transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TLco), and lung clearance index (LCI) were cross-sectionally evaluated at 8.0-15.

Spectral-domain OCT changes in retina and optic nerve in children with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic injury on the retina and the optic nerve and to correlate ocular damage with systemic parameters, laboratory tests, neurological imaging and therapeutic hypothermia at birth.

Methods: Forty-one children with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) at birth (9.09 ± 3.

Regional ventilation inhomogeneity in survivors of extremely preterm birth.

Introduction: Survivors of extreme prematurity may have disrupted lung development. We hypothesized that the multiple breath washout (MBW) index Scond, which is intended to reflect ventilation inhomogeneity from the conducting airways, could be a sensitive marker of respiratory impairment in this group.

Methods: Spirometry, TLco, and MBW were cross-sectionally evaluated at 8 to 14 years of age in children born at <28 weeks between 2004 and 2010 in Udine, Italy.

Effect of allopurinol in addition to hypothermia treatment in neonates for hypoxic-ischemic brain injury on neurocognitive outcome (ALBINO): study protocol of a blinded randomized placebo-controlled parallel group multicenter trial for superiority (phase III).

Background: Perinatal asphyxia and resulting hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a major cause of death and long-term disability in term born neonates. Up to 20,000 infants each year are affected by HIE in Europe and even more in regions with lower level of perinatal care. The only established therapy to improve outcome in these infants is therapeutic hypothermia.

measure of neonate brain optical properties and hemodynamic parameters by time-domain near-infrared spectroscopy.

By exploiting a multichannel portable instrument for time-domain near-infrared spectroscopy (TD-NIRS), we characterized healthy neonates' brains in term of optical properties and hemodynamic parameters. In particular, we assessed the absolute values of the absorption and reduced scattering coefficients at two wavelengths, together with oxy-, deoxy- and total hemoglobin concentrations, and the blood oxygen saturation of the neonates' brains. In this study, 33 healthy full-term neonates were tested, obtaining the following median values: 0.

Brain regions and functional interactions supporting early word recognition in the face of input variability.

Perception and cognition in infants have been traditionally investigated using habituation paradigms, assuming that babies' memories in laboratory contexts are best constructed after numerous repetitions of the very same stimulus in the absence of interference. A crucial, yet open, question regards how babies deal with stimuli experienced in a fashion similar to everyday learning situations-namely, in the presence of interfering stimuli. To address this question, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to test 40 healthy newborns on their ability to encode words presented in concomitance with other words.

Lung Ultrasound Diagnostic Accuracy in Neonatal Pneumothorax.

Background. Pneumothorax (PTX) still remains a common cause of morbidity in critically ill and ventilated neonates. At the present time, lung ultrasound (LUS) is not included in the diagnostic work-up of PTX in newborns despite of excellent evidence of reliability in adults.

Predictive algorithms for early detection of retinopathy of prematurity.

Purpose: To evaluate sensitivity, specificity and the safest cut-offs of three predictive algorithms (WINROP, ROPScore and CHOP ROP) for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in three centres from 2012 to 2014; 445 preterms with gestational age (GA) ≤ 30 weeks and/or birthweight (BW) ≤ 1500 g, and additional unstable cases, were included. No-ROP, mild and type 1 ROP were categorized.

A 16q deletion involving FOXF1 enhancer is associated to pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis.

Background: Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) is an uncommon pulmonary disorder, with variable clinical features depending on which lung structure is affected, and it is usually linked to pulmonary arterial hypertension. Congenital PCH has been very rarely described and, so far, the only causative gene identified is EIF2AK4, which encodes for a translation initiation factor. However, not all PCH cases might carry a mutation in this gene.

Neonatal Lung Sonography: Interobserver Agreement Between Physician Interpreters With Varying Levels of Experience.

Objectives: To assess the reliability of lung sonography in neonates between physician interpreters with different degrees of experience.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed lung sonograms from neonates admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit with respiratory distress in the first 24 hours of life. The first scans were selected; only patients with available video clips documenting both hemithoraxes were included.

On the edge of language acquisition: inherent constraints on encoding multisyllabic sequences in the neonate brain.

To understand language, humans must encode information from rapid, sequential streams of syllables - tracking their order and organizing them into words, phrases, and sentences. We used Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine whether human neonates are born with the capacity to track the positions of syllables in multisyllabic sequences. After familiarization with a six-syllable sequence, the neonate brain responded to the change (as shown by an increase in oxy-hemoglobin) when the two edge syllables switched positions but not when two middle syllables switched positions (Experiment 1), indicating that they encoded the syllables at the edges of sequences better than those in the middle.

Lung ultrasound: diagnostic and therapeutic issues.

Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is becoming more and more utilised in the clinical field inadults, children and neonates in course of respiratory diseases. It can be done at bed side and repeated as muchis needed without risks (namely irradiation).

Methods: The technique of LUS execution and the normal andpathologic patterns of LUS in neonates are described.

Lung ultrasound accuracy in respiratory distress syndrome and transient tachypnea of the newborn.

Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a promising technique for the diagnosis of neonatal respiratory diseases. Preliminary data has shown a good sensitivity and specificity of LUS in the diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN).

Objective: The aim of this study was to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and negative (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV) of LUS for RDS and TTN, using an external reader blinded to the clinical condition.

Language universals at birth.

The evolution of human languages is driven both by primitive biases present in the human sensorimotor systems and by cultural transmission among speakers. However, whether the design of the language faculty is further shaped by linguistic biological biases remains controversial. To address this question, we used near-infrared spectroscopy to examine whether the brain activity of neonates is sensitive to a putatively universal phonological constraint.

Lung ultrasound: its role in neonatology and pediatrics.

Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) has become more and more popular in the first decade of the 21(st) century, both in neonatal and in pediatric age groups. Several papers addressed the usefulness of this procedure mainly because of its possibility to be utilised at the bedside, without risk of irradiation along with simple and immediate interpretations of the images.

Aims: The purpose of this paper is to update the knowledge on LUS related to the most common neonatal respiratory diseases and some pediatric acute lung diseases.

Surfactant administration for neonatal respiratory distress does not improve lung interstitial fluid clearance: echographic and experimental evidence.

Objective: Recent ultrasonographic studies suggest that the administration of surfactant to preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) does not affect lung water clearance. The purpose of the study was also to look at clearance of lung water in preterm rabbits receiving surfactant.

Methods: Lung ultrasound was performed in 73 neonates at different gestational ages (range 23-34 weeks) with radiological and clinical signs of RDS, before and after surfactant administration.

Ultrasound diagnosis of pneumonia in children.

Purpose: This study was done to compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and chest X-ray (CXR) in children with suspected pneumonia.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-nine children aged from 6 months to 16 years with clinical signs suggestive of pneumonia underwent lung ultrasound and CXR.

Results: Lung ultrasound was positive for the diagnosis of pneumonia in 60 patients, whereas CXR was positive in 53.

Lung ultrasound in respiratory distress syndrome: a useful tool for early diagnosis.

Background: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a severe form of neonatal respiratory distress which occurs almost exclusively in premature infants. At present, the diagnosis is based on radiological findings and clinical course. Lung ultrasound in RDS has not yet been fully assessed.