Melatonin Alters Innate Immune Function in Infants with Neonatal Encephalopathy.

Introduction: Melatonin has been suggested an adjunctive therapy in neonatal encephalopathy (NE). Melatonin reduces oxidative stress and neutrophil activation; however, the immunological effects in NE have not been studied.

Methods: Infants with NE and neonatal controls were prospectively recruited.

An unusual case of a giant fetal facial tumour and review of the literature.

We present the case of a pregnant 32-year-old woman who presented with a giant fetal facial tumour at 22 weeks. The mass, initially 4 × 3.5 × 3 cm in size, was largely cystic with a small solid component.

Altered Cytokine Endotoxin Responses in Neonatal Encephalopathy Predict MRI Outcomes.

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome and is linked with systemic inflammation. Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines are known to play a role in the pathology of NE by activating innate immune cells. Eighty-seven infants were enrolled including 53 infants with NE of whom 52 received therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and 34 term infant healthy controls (TC).

Histological chorioamnionitis is predicted by early infant C-reactive protein in preterm infants and correlates with neonatal outcomes.

Aim: Histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) is associated with preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes. We evaluated the rise in C-reactive protein (CRP) in preterm infants as a predictor of HCA severity and outcomes.

Methods: Consecutive preterm infants, born January 2009 to January 2014 in the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, under 32 weeks' gestation or <1.

Assessment of parental awareness of the shaken baby syndrome in Ireland.

Unlabelled: Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) results in cerebral trauma. Creating awareness through education may improve parental response to a distressed infant. We aim to assess current parental understanding of SBS and identify knowledge gaps.

Easily missed, potentially fatal complication in an extremely preterm infant.

A baby girl was delivered by emergency caesarean section at 23+6 weeks gestation weighing 440 g. Apgar scores were 1, 3 and 4 at 1, 5 and 10 min, respectively. She was intubated and transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Early electrographic seizures, brain injury, and neurodevelopmental risk in the very preterm infant.

Background: Previous studies of very preterm (VPT) infants have shown a wide range of seizure prevalence and association with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), white matter injury (WMI), and death. However, the impact of seizures on neurodevelopment is not well known. We hypothesized that seizures in the first 3 d after VPT birth would be associated with increased radiographic brain injury and later neurodevelopmental risk.

Cerebral maturation on amplitude-integrated electroencephalography and perinatal exposures in preterm infants.

Aim: To determine the associations between perinatal exposures, cerebral maturation on amplitude-integrated encephalography (aEEG) and outcome.

Methods: During this prospective cohort study, 136 infants ≤30 weeks estimated gestational age received 4 h of aEEG at four time points (between the first 2 weeks of life and term-equivalent age) during hospitalisation. Perinatal factors were documented.

Patterns of altered neurobehavior in preterm infants within the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To investigate differences in neurobehavior between preterm infants at term and full-term infants, changes in neurobehavior between 34 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) and term equivalent in the preterm infant, and the relationship of neurobehavior to perinatal exposures.

Study Design: In this prospective cohort study, 75 infants were tested at 34 weeks PMA and again at term using the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale. Infants underwent magnetic resonance imaging at term equivalent.

Neonatal intensive care unit stress is associated with brain development in preterm infants.

Objective: Although many perinatal factors have been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in very premature infants, much of the variation in outcome remains unexplained. The impact on brain development of 1 potential factor, exposure to stressors in the neonatal intensive care unit, has not yet been studied in a systematic, prospective manner.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study of infants born at <30 weeks gestation, nurses were trained in recording procedures and cares.