Predictive factors for extubation success in very low and extremely low birth weight preterm infants.

Background: Although invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) has contributed to the survival of preterm infants with extremely low birth weight (ELBW), it is also associated with unsatisfactory clinical outcomes when used for prolonged periods. This study aimed to identify factors that may be decisive for extubation success in very low birth weight (VLBW) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) preterm infants.

Methods: The cohort study included preterm infants with gestational age (GA) <36 weeks, birth weight (BW) <1500 grams who underwent IMV, born between 2015 and 2018.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of antenatal corticoid in preterm twin and single pregnancies: a multicenter cohort study.

Background: The effects of antenatal corticosteroids (ANSs) on twins are not well established.

Objective: To determine the impact of ANS use according to the number of fetuses.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of newborns between 23 and 33 weeks of gestational age, birth weight from 400 to 1499 g, without malformations, delivered at 20 public university hospitals from 2010 to 2014.

Influence of time under mechanical ventilation on bronchopulmonary dysplasia severity in extremely preterm infants: a pilot study.

Background: The relation between mechanical ventilation (MV) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) - a common disease in extremely premature newborn (PTNB) - is well stabilished, but is unknown, however, how much time under MV influences the severity of the disease.

Aim: To define the duration under MV with greater chance to develop moderate to severe BPD in extremely PTNB and to compare clinical outcomes before and during hospitalization among patients with mild and moderate to severe BPD.

Methods: Fifty-three PTNB were separated into mild and moderate to severe BPD groups and their data were analyzed.

Admission hypothermia, neonatal morbidity, and mortality: evaluation of a multicenter cohort of very low birth weight preterm infants according to relative performance of the center.

This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the association of admission hypothermia (AH) with death and/or major neonatal morbidities among very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants based on the relative performance of 20 centers of the Brazilian Network of Neonatal Research. This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data using the database registry of the Brazilian Network on Neonatal Research. Center performance was defined by the relative mortality rate using conditional inference trees.

Death or survival with major morbidity in VLBW infants born at Brazilian neonatal research network centers.

Objective: To analyze unfavorable outcomes at hospital discharge of preterm infants born at Brazilian public university centers.

Methods: Prospective cohort of 2646 inborn infants with gestational age 23-33 weeks and birth weight 400-1499 g, without malformations, born at 20 centers in 2012-2013. Unfavorable outcome was defined as in-hospital death or survival at hospital discharge with ≥1 major morbidities: bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at 36 corrected weeks, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) grades 3-4, periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) or surgically treated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Practices related to late-onset sepsis in very low-birth weight preterm infants.

Objective: To understand the practices related to late-onset sepsis (LOS) in the centers of the Brazilian Neonatal Research Network, and to propose strategies to reduce the incidence of LOS.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive multicenter study approved by the Ethics Committee. Three questionnaires regarding hand hygiene, vascular catheters, and diagnosis/treatment of LOS were sent to the coordinator of each center.

Hypothermia and early neonatal mortality in preterm infants.

Objective: To evaluate intervention practices associated with hypothermia at both 5 minutes after birth and at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission and to determine whether hypothermia at NICU admission is associated with early neonatal death in preterm infants.

Study Design: This prospective cohort included 1764 inborn neonates of 22-33 weeks without malformations admitted to 9 university NICUs from August 2010 through April 2012. All centers followed neonatal International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation recommendations for the stabilization and resuscitation in the delivery room (DR).

[Neonatal mortality in Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil, in 1994, 1999, and 2002].

Despite technological progress in recent decades, neonatal mortality accounts for some two-thirds of infant deaths where the infant mortality rates are low. This study analyzes neonatal deaths in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, during three periods, beginning with 1994, the year when pediatric and neonatal intensive care beds were created in the city. The data were collected from live birth certificates in the National Information System on Live Births (SINASC) and individual analysis of neonatal death certificates.

[CRIB score, birth weight and gestational age in neonatal mortality risk evaluation].

Objective: To evaluate the mortality rate of very low birth weight babies born at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) during a specified period of time according to variations in CRIB (Clinical Risk Index for Babies) score, birth weight and gestational age.

Methods: From January 1997 to December 2000, the CRIB score was prospectively applied to all newborn infants admitted to the NICU of an university hospital of Londrina, Brazil, with birthweight under 1,500 g and/or gestational age of less than 31 weeks. The exclusion criteria were: death before 12 hours of life, presence of lethal congenital malformations and newborns who had been referred from other hospital.