[Use of a polyethylene bag: a way to improve the thermal environment of the premature newborn at the delivery room].

Background: Early interventions, such as occlusive wrapping of very low birth weight infants at delivery reduce postnatal temperature fall. This new intervention was implemented in our hospital on January 2000. The aim of this study was to investigate retrospectively the effect of polyethylene wrap, applied immediately at birth, on thermoregulation.

[Jargon of the neonatal intensive care unit].

Jargon, the specialized vocabulary and idioms, is frequently used by people of the same work or profession. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) makes no exception to this. As a matter of fact, NICU is one place where jargon is constantly developing in parallel with the evolution of techniques and treatments.

[Early cardiovascular effects of corticotherapy for bronchopulmonary dysplasia].

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the time course of cardiovascular effects in glucocorticoid-treated premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Methods: In a retrospective case study, 63 ventilator-dependent very-low-birth-weight neonates (mean gestational age = 27.9 +/- 2 weeks and mean birth weight = 920 +/- 275 g) treated with dexamethasone (52%) or betamethasone (48%) were studied.

[APN: evaluation behavioral scale of acute pain in newborn infants].

Aim: This study was designed to validate a behavioral acute pain rating scale for term and preterm neonates (APN).

Methods: From January through June 1996, neonates requiring a heel lance or a venous puncture for blood sampling at the intensive care unit and the nursery of Poissy Hospital were recruited into the study. After a pilot study, a pain rating scale was developed.