Publications by authors named "Flavia Petrillo"

Importance: Among preterm newborns undergoing resuscitation, delayed cord clamping for 60 seconds is associated with reduced mortality compared with early clamping. However, the effects of longer durations of cord clamping with respiratory support are unknown.

Objective: To determine whether resuscitating preterm newborns while keeping the placental circulation intact and clamping the cord after a long delay would improve outcomes compared with umbilical cord milking.

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Importance: A multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT) showed a lung recruitment maneuver using high-frequency oscillatory ventilation just before surfactant administration (ie, intubate-recruit-surfactant-extubate [IN-REC-SUR-E]) improved the efficacy of treatment compared with the standard intubate-surfactant-extubate (IN-SUR-E) technique without increasing the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes.

Objective: To examine follow-up outcomes at corrected postnatal age (cPNA) 2 years of preterm infants previously enrolled in an RCT and treated with IN-REC-SUR-E or IN-SUR-E in 35 tertiary neonatal intensive care units.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a follow-up study of infants recruited into the primary RCT from 2015 to 2018 at 35 tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Italy.

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(1) Background: Our survey aimed to gather information on respiratory care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in the European and Mediterranean region. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional electronic survey. An 89-item questionnaire focusing on the current modes, devices, and strategies employed in neonatal units in the domain of respiratory care was sent to directors/heads of 528 NICUs.

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Background: The importance of lung recruitment before surfactant administration has been shown in animal studies. Well designed trials in preterm infants are absent. We aimed to examine whether the application of a recruitment manoeuvre just before surfactant administration, followed by rapid extubation (intubate-recruit-surfactant-extubate [IN-REC-SUR-E]), decreased the need for mechanical ventilation during the first 72 h of life compared with no recruitment manoeuvre (ie, intubate-surfactant-extubate [IN-SUR-E]).

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Objectives: To assess ductal size correlated to spontaneous closure, pharmacological or surgical treatment; to index ductal diameter to body weight and body surface area; to evaluate the morbidities.

Study Design: Retrospective study on preterms ≤32 weeks, birth weight ≤1500 g, extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW). Inclusion criteria: patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with a diameter ≥1 millimeter (mm) at 72 h from birth; need for ibuprofen treatment on the basis of a hemodynamically significant ductus arteriosus (HsPDA).

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Background: The application of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) modalities from birth in the delivery room (DR) during fetal-neonatal transition reduces the need for invasive mechanical ventilation, mortality, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The use of a RAM nasal cannula (RAM NC) in the DR for resuscitation results in less need for intubation, chest compressions, and epinephrine administration when compared with using a face mask for PPV in the DR.

Objective: To evaluate the need for endotracheal intubation in the DR among extremely low gestational age neonates treated at birth with sustained inflation (SI) followed by a nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) (range: 6-8 cm of HO) delivered through the RAM NC.

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Background: We aimed to survey Delivery Room and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) respiratory strategies dedicated to the extremely low gestational age newborn (ELGAN - GA < 28 wks) in Italy.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 113 Italian level III centres. A lead physician and a nurse with expertise in mechanical ventilation (MV) were identified in each unit to answer.

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Based on small studies and not on statistically valid clinical trials, guidelines for neonatal transfusions remain controversial and practices vary greatly. Premature infants and critically ill neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) often require blood transfusions and extremely preterm neonates receive at least one red blood cell transfusion during their hospital stay. Transfusions to neonates convey both benefits and risks and consequently it is imperative to establish specific guidelines to improve practice and avoid unnecessary transfusions.

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Background: Although beneficial in clinical practice, the INtubate-SURfactant-Extubate (IN-SUR-E) method is not successful in all preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome, with a reported failure rate ranging from 19 to 69 %. One of the possible mechanisms responsible for the unsuccessful IN-SUR-E method, requiring subsequent re-intubation and mechanical ventilation, is the inability of the preterm lung to achieve and maintain an "optimal" functional residual capacity. The importance of lung recruitment before surfactant administration has been demonstrated in animal studies showing that recruitment leads to a more homogeneous surfactant distribution within the lungs.

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