Risk-adjusted rates between hospitals for adverse outcomes of very-low-birth-weight infants.

Background/purpose: To analyze the amount of variation in these risk-adjusted adverse outcomes corresponding to the care of premature births. In addition, hospitals were ranked according to their unadjusted and adjusted rates, and we assessed the degree of concordance between these rankings. Finally, the correlations of hospital-adjusted adverse outcomes were also tested.

The gestational effect of antenatal corticosteroids on respiratory distress syndrome in very low birth weight infants: A population-based study.

Background/purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of antenatal corticosteroids for preventing very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) from surfactant use at different gestational ages (GA).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the VLBW preterm infants registered in the Premature Baby Foundation of Taiwan from 1997 through 2014. Infants at 20-37 weeks' gestation were included, and infants with lethal congenital anomaly, chromosomal anomaly, and congenital infection were excluded.

Association of Maternal Preeclampsia with Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants.

Preeclampsia is a common cause of preterm birth and neonatal morbidity, but its relationship with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) remains controversial. We conducted a retrospective cohort study with data from very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants born in 1997-2014 from the database of the Premature Baby Foundation of Taiwan to evaluate the relationship between maternal preeclampsia and neonatal RDS. In total, 13,490 VLBW infants were enrolled, including 2200 (16.

Outcomes and related factors in a cohort of infants born in Taiwan over a period of five years (2007-2011) with borderline viability.

Background: Advances in perinatal and neonatal care have increased the survival of extremely preterm infants, but the viability limit is still debated. Here we assess the survival, neonatal morbidity, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of age of infants born at 22-26 weeks of gestation in Taiwan between 2007 and 2011.

Methods: This is a prospective longitudinal multicenter cohort study on extremely preterm infants registered in the Taiwan Premature Infant Developmental Collaborative Study Group from 2007 to 2011, including 22 neonatal care centers.

Morbidity and mortality of very low birth weight infants in Taiwan-Changes in 15 years: A population based study.

Background/purpose: Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants account for over 50% of perinatal deaths in Taiwan. This study aimed to identify changes in parental characteristics, perinatal conditions, mortality, and major neonatal morbidities for VLBW infants in Taiwan, and to highlight the challenges faced by patients, families, and caregivers.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate the mortality and morbidity of VLBW infants registered in the Taiwan Premature Infant Follow-up Network from 1997 through 2011.

Preeclampsia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants: A Population-Based Study.

Preeclampsia and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are associated with impaired angiogenesis. Previous studies on the relationship between preeclampsia and ROP have produced conflicting results. The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between maternal preeclampsia and ROP using a large population-based cohort of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants from 21 neonatal departments registered in the database of the Premature Baby Foundation of Taiwan.

The impact of small-for-gestational-age on neonatal outcome among very-low-birth-weight infants.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) on mortality and morbidity in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on VLBW infants registered at the Premature Baby Foundation of Taiwan between 2007 and 2011. All 21 neonatal departments in Taiwan participated in the data collection, and a total of 4636 VLBW infants were registered during the study period.

The growth of very-low-birth-weight infants at 5 years old in Taiwan.

Background: The goal of this study was to compare the growth and effect of growth on cognitive performance at 5 years of age of a group of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants and a group of healthy full-term infants.

Methods: Beginning in 1995, under the sponsorship of the Premature Baby Foundation, the Society of Neonatology, Taiwan, conducted a multicenter follow-up study of VLBW infants in Taiwan. The study enrolled 322 VLBW infants and 103 controls for assessment of growth data and cognitive performance at several time points from birth through to 5 years of age.

Preeclampsia and the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in VLBW infants: a population based study.

Background: Preeclampsia remains a leading cause of maternal mortality and preterm delivery. Both preeclampsia and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) of prematurity are associated with impaired angiogenesis. However, the relationship between maternal preeclampsia and BPD remains controversial.

Using personal qualities assessment to measure the moral orientation and personal qualities of medical students in a non-Western culture.

How to select candidates with appropriate personal qualities for medical school is an important issue. This study examined the psychometric properties and group differences of the Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA) to test the feasibility of using it as a tool to assess the medical school applicants in a non-Western culture. Seven hundred forty-six medical students in Taiwan completed two psychometric measures: Mojac to assess moral orientation and NACE to assess four aspects of interpersonal relationships.

Is medical students' moral orientation changeable after preclinical medical education?

Purpose: Moral orientation can affect ethical decision-making. Very few studies have focused on whether medical education can change the moral orientation of the students. The purpose of the present study was to document the types of moral orientation exhibited by medical students, and to study if their moral orientation was changed after preclinical education.

Congenital midline nasal mass: cases series and review of the literature.

Encephalocele, glioma and dermoid cyst are the most common midline nasal masses. Given their potential for intracranial extension, prompt treatment is necessary to prevent complications. Herein, we present two cases of midline nasal masses.

When a problem-based learning tutor decides to intervene.

Purpose: To appropriately contribute to group discussion, tutors should be experts in their field and possess facilitative skills. However, knowing when to interject is always a difficult question. This study investigated the specific scenarios or cues during group tutorial sessions that prompted or motivated tutors to interject and participate in the group discussion.

Short-term outcomes of a near-full PBL curriculum in a new Taiwan medical school.

Problem-based learning (PBL), which incorporates principles of adult learning, is an important innovation in medical education. The use of PBL in health professional curricula is becoming more widespread. The curriculum design and the ways of implementing PBL are different among schools.

Cognitive development at age 8 years in very low birth weight children in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: All children should have some developmental screening periodically throughout childhood, especially those who were born prematurely. There is limited information about the development of children with very low birth weight (VLBW; birth weight < 1500 g) beyond the preschool age in Taiwan. We evaluated intelligence quotient (IQ) and cognitive ability of prematurely born school-aged children in Taiwan.

Relationship between perinatal and neonatal indices and intelligence quotient in very low birth weight infants at the age of 6 or 8 years.

Background: The majority of children born with very low birth weight (VLBW; < 1500g) enter mainstream schools. They experience significant neurodevelopmental disabilities during childhood. The specific aims of our study were to evaluate the neonatal outcomes of VLBW infants and whether they would influence intelligence quotient (IQ), cognitive function and learning disabilities at the age of 6 or 8 years.

Brief report: Taiwanese infants' mental and motor development--6-24 months.

Objectives: To establish the normative data of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) on Taiwanese infants from age 6 to 24 months and to explore the factors that relate to their mental and motor development.

Methods: Five hundred and seven Taiwanese full-term infants were prospectively examined with the BSID-II at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age.

Results: Taiwanese infants' Bayley mental and motor raw scores were lower than the United States norms from age 6 to 24 months, however, the discrepancy gradually declined with increasing age.

Factors affecting the non-compliance for follow-up in very low birth weight children.

Background: Long-term longitudinal follow up of very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight < or =1500 g) infants is important. This study assessed the factors affecting non-compliance for follow-up at different ages in VLBW children.

Methods: The demographic data, morbidity and neurodevelopmental data of 321 VLBW infants were analyzed between those returned and not returned.

Handwashing program for the prevention of nosocomial infections in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a hand hygiene program on compliance with hand hygiene and the rate of nosocomial infections in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Design: Open trial.

Setting: A level-III NICU in a teaching hospital.

Developmental function of very-low-birth-weight infants and full-term infants in early childhood.

Background And Purpose: Despite general recognition that surviving very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants are at risk for neurodevelopmental impairments and educational achievement difficulties, there has been relatively little study on their functional status in areas such as locomotion, communication, cognition, self-care, and interpersonal relationships. This study assessed the functional status of VLBW infants and full-term infants in early childhood, and sought to identify risk factors for functional morbidity.

Methods: A total of 238 VLBW infants and 91 full-term infants were included in this prospective follow-up study.

The morbidity and survival of very-low-birth-weight infants in Taiwan.

Advances in obstetrical and neonatal care have increased the survival of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, defined as infants weighing < or = 1,500 g at birth, in many populations. To understand the morbidity and survival of VLBW infants in Taiwan, the records of all VLBW admitted to the 12 hospitals with a level II+ or level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), at < 7 days of age, from January 1 to December 31, 1996, were collected prospectively. A total of 613 VLBW infants (292 males and 301 females) met the enrollment criteria: 305 cases from the northern region, 181 cases from the central region, and 127 cases from the southern region of Taiwan.

Relationship between spontaneous kicking and age of walking attainment in preterm infants with very low birth weight and full-term infants.

Background And Purposes: Although early kicking differences have been reported for preterm infants without overt cranial sonographic abnormalities, their functional importance remains unclear because no outcomes have been measured. Therefore, the first purpose of this prospective study was to examine the age of walking attainment in preterm infants who had very low birth weight (VLBW) but no overt neurosonographic abnormalities and full-term infants without known impairments or pathology. The second purpose was to examine the relationship between spontaneous kicking and age of walking attainment in these infants.

Outcome of very low birth weight infants with sonographic enlarged occipital horn.

The objective of this study is to compare the neurodevelopmental outcome between very low birth weight infants with and without sonographic disproportionate enlargement of occipital horn. We retrospectively reviewed the brain sonography of all very low birth weight infants born at National Taiwan University Hospital between June 1997 and June 1999. Brain sonography was routinely performed at the age of the third, seventh, twenty-first, and later days as clinically indicated.

Delivery before 32 weeks of gestation for maternal pre-eclampsia: neonatal outcome and 2-year developmental outcome.

Background And Objective: In the literature, there are conflicting data on the neonatal outcome in preterm infants who were delivered for maternal pre-eclampsia. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of maternal pre-eclampsia on neonatal morbidity and 2-year developmental outcome in a population of preterm infants delivered before 32 weeks of gestation.

Methods: The hospital records of all 89 surviving VLBW infants with GA below 32 weeks born from January 1997 to December 1999 were reviewed retrospectively.