The use of two or more courses of low-dose systemic dexamethasone to extubate ventilator-dependent preterm neonates may be associated with a higher prevalence of cerebral palsy at two years of corrected age.

Background: Our objective was to determine whether the use of two or more courses of low-dose systemic dexamethasone for extubation of ventilator-dependent preterm infants after the first week of life, as proposed in the DART study, is associated with greater neurodevelopmental harm at two years of corrected age, compared to a single course.

Methods: Retrospective review at seven level III neonatal intensive care units. Preterm infants who underwent only one course of systemic dexamethasone for extubation were grouped into DART-1; those who underwent two or more courses were grouped into DART-2.

Pooling Saliva Sample as an Effective Strategy for the Systematic CMV Screening of Newborns-A Multicentric Prospective Study.

Background: Cytomegalovirus is the most common cause of congenital infections worldwide. Screening all newborns in the first 2 weeks of life is the only way to detect all cases of congenital infection, allowing the monitoring of children with asymptomatic infection at birth and early intervention.

Aim: In this multicenter study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using a saliva pool strategy for mass screening in 7 Portuguese hospitals, and to estimate the current prevalence of this congenital infection in these hospitals.