Type 2 immune polarization is associated with cardiopulmonary disease in preterm infants.

Postnatal maturation of the immune system is poorly understood, as is its impact on illnesses afflicting term or preterm infants, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and BPD-associated pulmonary hypertension. These are both cardiopulmonary inflammatory diseases that cause substantial mortality and morbidity with high treatment costs. Here, we characterized blood samples collected from 51 preterm infants longitudinally at five time points, 20 healthy term infants at birth and age 3 to 16 weeks, and 5 healthy adults.

Cerebral oxygenation is stable in preterm infants transitioning to heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula therapy.

Aim: To assess cerebral oxygenation in premature infants who are transitioning from nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) to heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula therapy (HFNC).

Methods: A prospective observational study done in a single-centre neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Regional cerebral oxygen saturations (RcSO ) were measured using frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy (FD-NIRS) in very low birthweight (VLBW) premature infants born at <32 weeks transitioning from nCPAP to HFNC.

Nasal High-Flow Therapy for Primary Respiratory Support in Preterm Infants.

Background: Treatment with nasal high-flow therapy has efficacy similar to that of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) when used as postextubation support in neonates. The efficacy of high-flow therapy as the primary means of respiratory support for preterm infants with respiratory distress has not been proved.

Methods: In this international, multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial, we assigned 564 preterm infants (gestational age, ≥28 weeks 0 days) with early respiratory distress who had not received surfactant replacement to treatment with either nasal high-flow therapy or nasal CPAP.

Comparison of the pharyngeal pressure provided by two heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannulae devices in premature infants.

Aims: This study aims to determine if there is a difference in the pharyngeal pressure, measured as a surrogate for continuous positive distending airway pressure, delivered to premature infants between two commonly used heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannulae (HHHFNC) devices: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare HHHFNC and Vapotherm 2000i.

Methods: Pharyngeal pressure measurements were taken from stable premature infants receiving HHHFNC for respiratory support. Flow rates of 2-8 L/min were studied.

A randomized controlled trial to compare heated humidified high-flow nasal cannulae with nasal continuous positive airway pressure postextubation in premature infants.

Objective: To determine whether postextubation respiratory support via heated, humidified, high-flow nasal cannulae (HHHFNC) results in a greater proportion of infants younger than 32 weeks' gestation being successfully extubated after a period of endotracheal positive pressure ventilation compared with conventional nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP).

Study Design: We randomly assigned preterm ventilated infants to Vapotherm HHHFNC or NCPAP after extubation. The primary outcome, extubation failure, was defined by prespecified failure criteria in the 7 days after extubation.

Deceptive simplicity: systemic oxygen delivery and pulse oximetry.

Pulse oximetry is often perceived to be a measure of the adequacy of oxygen delivery. It is, however, only a measure of oxygen bound to haemoglobin. Systemic oxygen delivery is principally determined by cardiac output, haemoglobin concentration and haemoglobin saturation.

Immunogenicity and immunologic memory of meningococcal C conjugate vaccine in premature infants.

Background: Protein-polysaccharide conjugate vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C were introduced into the U.K. routine immunization schedule in 1999.

Meningococcal vaccines.

Neisseria meningitidis is one of the leading infectious causes of death in children under five years old in industrialized countries, and most cases can be attributed to five disease-causing serogroups: A, B, C, Y and W135. Meningococcal vaccine development began in the 1930s with killed whole-cell and exotoxin vaccines, but widespread use of polysaccharide vaccines did not begin until the 1970s. Serogroup A, C, Y and W135 polysaccharides are all included in vaccines for travellers, other high risk groups and control of outbreaks, but have limited immunogenicity and effficacy in childhood.