Publications by authors named "Howard L Williams"

Background And Objectives: A wholesale recommendation against use of live virus vaccines in patients treated with any medication classified as an immunosuppressant has been based on global theoretical concerns rather than clinical outcomes for specific drugs.

Methods: A retrospective search of electronic medical records identified patients seen by the Allergy and/or Dermatology services between 2017 and 2023 at a pediatric tertiary center who received a live attenuated vaccine during the 6 week interval prior to the first prescription for methotrexate or dupilumab until 6 weeks after the last prescription for either medication. Individual charts of identified patients were manually reviewed for evidence of adverse events.

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Introduction: Normative blood pressure (BP) values on preterm infants exist but are based on small cohorts of infants. Utilizing electronic medical records (EMR), we can explore earlier gestational ages (GA) and follow their progression to 40 weeks corrected gestational age (CGA).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of infants within the SSM Health System from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2023.

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Objective: To evaluate the association between enteral sodium supplementation on growth and hypertension (HTN) in preterm infants.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study of infants born between 22-32 weeks and weighing 450-1500 grams (N = 821). Enteral sodium supplementation amounts, systolic blood pressures (SBP), weight gain, and other infant and maternal risk factors for HTN were electronically extracted.

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Objective: Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) infection is a major cause of serious morbidity and mortality in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). There is no clear consensus on infection control measures. Some approaches to MRSA colonization management may be burdensome with unclear benefits.

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Background: The combination of surfactant and budesonide has been shown to decrease BPD rates and severity. Budesonide may be released systemically from lungs, and the effects on the immature adrenal glands are not known.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if adrenal suppression rates are higher in preterm infants receiving budesonide with surfactant compared to surfactant alone.

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Objective: To determine if extremely preterm (EPT) neonates receiving dexamethasone for the prevention of BPD have a higher incidence of presumed adrenal insufficiency (PAI).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of neonates <28 weeks gestation examining PAI after dexamethasone use and PAI after intratracheal budesonide with surfactant administration.

Result: Of 332 neonates, 38% received dexamethasone.

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Background: The addition of budesonide to surfactant in very-low-birth-weight infants with less severe RDS decreased bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) severity. Long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up was needed to monitor for systemic effects of budesonide.

Methods: Infants ≤1250 g who received intratracheal budesonide (0.

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Objective: Histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) is a placental inflammation linked to preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcome. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can identify various inflammatory disorders, however its utility in HCA is not clear. Our goal was to examine NLR values and HCA diagnoses in at-risk pregnancies and neonates.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of a respiratory protocol for the interhospital transport of infants with respiratory distress on bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) and provide information on the safety of bCPAP during transport via ground and helicopter.

Methods: We evaluated a retrospective cohort study of neonates (gestational age 22-41 weeks) transported to our level 4 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before (n = 529) and after implementing (n = 540) protocols for increasing bCPAP and intubation criteria. Infants were evaluated for intubation before transport, the safety of transport, and the need for intubation shortly after arrival in the NICU.

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Objective: Early bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) in the delivery room (DR) reduces early intubation, mechanical ventilation, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The RAM cannula, adopted for ease of patient care, is a high resistance nasal interface that, when used with bCPAP, only transmits a portion of set pressures and attenuates the bubble effects. This study aimed to review early bCPAP pressures and bCPAP failure with the RAM cannula interface over a 6-year period.

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Background: In preterm infants on moderately high ventilator support, the addition of budesonide to surfactant lowered bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) rates by 20% without increased morbidity or mortality. The aim of this cohort comparison was to determine the safety and efficacy of the combination in infants with milder respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Methods: In August 2016 we began administering budesonide (0.

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Introduction: Bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) generates a variable pressure due to bubble size and frequency, and these pressure oscillations may contribute to lung recruitment and gas exchange. Single-outlet bCPAP devices generate larger pressure fluctuation than bCPAP devices with diffusers, but clinical efficacy is unclear. Our hypothesis was that a single-outlet bCPAP device (B&B Bubbler©) would decrease extubation failure and improve oxygenation compared with a bCPAP device with a diffuser (BabiPlus©).

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