Similar adverse outcome rates with high or low oxygen saturation targets in an area with low background mortality.

Background: Randomized controlled trials have indicated reduced mortality rates in very preterm infants assigned to high compared to low oxygen saturation (SpO) target levels, accompanied by higher rates of retinopathy of prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. However, the benefit-to-harm ratio may depend on the local background mortality risk. We therefore aimed to quantify the risk-benefit ratios of different SpO target ranges in 10 tertiary newborn intensive care units (NICUs) in East Germany.

T cell repertoire breadth is associated with the number of acute respiratory infections in the LoewenKIDS birth cohort.

We set out to gain insight into peripheral blood B and T cell repertoires from 120 infants of the LoewenKIDS birth cohort to investigate potential determinants of early life respiratory infections. Low antigen-dependent somatic hypermutation of B cell repertoires, as well as low T and B cell repertoire clonality, high diversity, and high richness especially in public T cell clonotypes reflected the immunological naivety at 12 months of age when high thymic and bone marrow output are associated with relatively few prior antigen encounters. Infants with inadequately low T cell repertoire diversity or high clonality showed higher numbers of acute respiratory infections over the first 4 years of life.

Case report: Otitis media with subsequent mastoiditis and cerebral herniation in a patient with Arnold chiari malformation.

We present the case of a 13-year-old boy who unexpectedly needed to be resuscitated at home after an assumed uncomplicated otitis media. Imaging at our clinic showed mastoiditis and a cystoid mass in the left cerebellopontine angle compressing the brainstem, as well as an Arnold-Chiari-Malformation. Both the laboratory examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and surgical biopsy with pathological evaluation of the mastoid supported the inflammatory etiology of the mass.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Regulations on the Health Status and Medical Care of Children with Trisomy 21.

Background: While children are considered at low risk for COVID-19, little is known about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on paediatric risk patients like children with Trisomy 21 (T21). As these children often need regular therapy and various medical appointments, this study aimed to investigate the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with T21.

Patients And Methods: Parents of children with T21 in the age of 0-12 years in Saxony-Anhalt were interviewed via phone in June 2021 regarding the health status and medical care of their children during the past 15 months of pandemic.

Impact of the First COVID Lockdown on Accident- and Injury-Related Pediatric Intensive Care Admissions in Germany-A Multicenter Study.

Children's and adolescents' lives drastically changed during COVID lockdowns worldwide. To compare accident- and injury-related admissions to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) during the first German COVID lockdown with previous years, we conducted a retrospective multicenter study among 37 PICUs (21.5% of German PICU capacities).

Symptom Burden and Factors Associated with Acute Respiratory Infections in the First Two Years of Life-Results from the LoewenKIDS Cohort.

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the most common childhood illnesses worldwide whereby the reported frequency varies widely, often depending on type of assessment. Symptom diaries are a powerful tool to counteract possible under-reporting, particularly of milder infections, and thus offer the possibility to assess the full burden of ARIs. The following analyses are based on symptom diaries from participants of the German birth cohort study LoewenKIDS.

Monitoring Antibiotic Consumption in Pediatrics. How Close to Reality Are Days of Therapy and Recommended Daily Dose Methods?

Background: Hospitals are advised to monitor antibiotic use. Several approximation methods do exist to perform this task. Adult cohorts can easily be monitored using the defined daily dose method, or its German adaption recommended daily doses (RDD) method, that seems inapplicable in pediatric cohorts due to body weight variations.

Treatment of mid-trimester preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) with multi-resistant bacteria-colonized anhydramnion with continuous amnioinfusion and meropenem: a case report and literature review.

Purpose: Treatment of mid-trimester classic preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) with systemic antibiotics has limited success in the prevention of chorioamnionitis, funisitis and fetal inflammatory response syndrome because of very low transplacental passage.

Methods: Here we report a case of PPROM at 18 weeks gestation with anhydramnion colonized by multi-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Co-Culture of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Endothelial Colony Forming Cells from Cord Blood of Preterm Born Babies.

Umbilical cord blood of neonates is a precious source for many fields of research because of distinct unique features combined with easy accessibility at the time of birth. The number of applications are vast with an emphasis in the field of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine since cord blood contains relatively large numbers of pluripotent cells. This chapter provides a protocol for developing an autologous co-culture of endothelial-like cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood of premature born babies and describes an experimental setting to investigate inflammatory processes that are a cornerstone of pathophysiology in the developing organs of preterm born babies.

Daily monitoring of vaginal interleukin 6 as a predictor of intraamniotic inflammation after preterm premature rupture of membranes - a new method of sampling studied in a prospective multicenter trial.

Objectives: (A) To introduce a new technique for vaginal fluid sampling (biocompatible synthetic fiber sponge) and (B) evaluate the collected vaginal fluid interleukine-6 (IL-6)-concentration as a new diagnostic tool for daily monitoring of intrauterine inflammation after preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). Secondary objectives were to compare the potential to predict an intrauterine inflammation with established inflammation parameters (e.g.

[Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Two Premature Infants - Diagnostic and Therapeutic Management].

Herpes simplex virus type 1 or 2 (HSV 1/2)-related infections in neonates are rare but associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially if specific treatment is delayed. Due to immaturity of the immunological system, premature infants are particularly at risk. In addition, symptoms of neonatal HSV infections may imitate prematurity-related problems, such as sepsis.

Impact of cleft lip closure on the perception of the child by the mother and the social environment - A retrospective, self-reported, standardized pretest.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to describe the attractiveness of a newborn with CL/P and the maternal reaction in relation to the child. Another purpose was to explore and describe the experience and subjectively perceived reaction of the mother and the social environment to the child before and after cleft lip surgery.

Material And Methods: A study to describe and evaluate mothers' experiences, feelings and emotions (n = 84) regarding having a child with CL/P was performed.

Correction to: Severe but not moderate hyperoxia of newborn mice causes an emphysematous lung phenotype in adulthood without persisting oxidative stress and inflammation.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors flagged that the article had published with an error in 'Table 1'.

Severe but not moderate hyperoxia of newborn mice causes an emphysematous lung phenotype in adulthood without persisting oxidative stress and inflammation.

Background: Preterm newborns typically require supplemental oxygen but hyperoxic conditions also damage the premature lung. Oxygen-induced lung damages are mainly studied in newborn mouse models using oxygen concentrations above 75% and looking at short-term effects. Therefore, we aimed at the investigation of long-term effects and their dependency on different oxygen concentrations.

Objective evaluation of vertical Z-plasty with double transposition vermillion flaps for secondary whistling deformity correction: A method for uni- and bilateral correction.

Objectives: This study describes a modified method for secondary correction of whistling deformities in patients with unilateral and bilateral cleft lip/palate (CL/P), using a horizontal double transposition vermilion flap, including parts of the orbicularis oris muscle. The pre- and postoperative results were objectively evaluated.

Study Design: 34 patients with a whistling deformity who underwent secondary reconstruction between 07/2013 and 11/2018 were included in this study (mean age 20.

Active perinatal care of preterm infants in the German Neonatal Network.

Objective: To determine if survival rates of preterm infants receiving active perinatal care improve over time.

Design: The German Neonatal Network is a cohort study of preterm infants with birth weight <1500 g. All eligible infants receiving active perinatal care are registered.

Receptor for advanced glycation end-products modulates lung development and lung sensitivity to hyperoxic injury in newborn mice.

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products is mainly expressed in type I alveolar epithelial cells but its importance in lung development and response to neonatal hyperoxia is unclear. Therefore, our study aimed at the analysis of young wildtype and RAGE knockout mice which grew up under normoxic or hyperoxic air conditions for the first 14 days followed by a longer period of normoxic conditions. Lung histology, expression of lung-specific proteins, and respiratory mechanics were analyzed when the mice reached an age of 2 or 4 months.

Long tail balloon as a new approach for fetoscopic tracheal occlusion for a treatment of severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) remains a significant challenge for neonatal specialists. In order to reduce complications during extraction of the surgical balloon after fetoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) CDH, we have developed a FETO with a 'long tail balloon' of 2.5 mL volume.

Doppler Sonography of Blood Flow Velocity in the Vertebral Arteries of Preterm and Term Neonates.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate normal blood flow in the vertebral arteries and the basilar artery of preterm and term neonates by Doppler sonography.

Methods: Blood flow in both vertebral arteries and the basilar artery was examined in 102 neonates between the biological ages of 28 and 41 weeks. Fifty-one boys and 51 girls underwent Doppler sonography.

Media Stories on NICU Outbreaks Lead to an Increased Prescription Rate of Third-Line Antibiotics in the Community of Neonatal Care.

BACKGROUND Between 2010 and 2012, 3 outbreaks of nosocomial infections in German neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) attracted considerable public interest. Headlines on national television channels and in newspapers had important consequences for the involved institutions and a negative impact on the relationship between families and staff in many German NICUs. OBJECTIVE To determine whether NICU outbreaks reported in the media influenced provider behavior in the community of neonatal care and led to more third-line antibiotic prescribing.

NOD2 Loss-of-Function Mutations and Risks of Necrotizing Enterocolitis or Focal Intestinal Perforation in Very Low-birth-weight Infants.

Background: NOD2 loss-of-function mutations, that is, R702W [rs2066844], G908R [rs2066845], and Leu1007fsinsC [rs5743293], have been linked to inflammatory bowel diseases. It is yet unknown whether these variants are also associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or focal intestinal perforation (FIP) in infants of very low birth weight (VLBW).

Methods: To test this hypothesis, we genotyped 9082 VLBW infants with European ancestry enrolled in a prospective, population-based cohort study of the German Neonatal Network.

Ultrasound Assessment of the Skeletal Development of the Proximal Tibial, Proximal Femoral, and Distal Femoral Epiphyses in Premature and Mature Newborns.

We evaluated postnatal skeletal development of the proximal femoral epiphysis, distal femoral epiphysis (DFE) and proximal tibial epiphysis (PTE) in 178 premature and mature newborns, between 25 and 47 wk of biological age, using high-resolution B-mode musculoskeletal ultrasound. Approximate age-related values were determined based on the ossification center size and epiphyseal cartilage thickness. The earliest onsets of visible mineralization were at 30 wk of maturity in the DFE, 31 wk in the PTE and 43 wk in the proximal femoral epiphysis.