Updates on neonatal cell and novel therapeutics: Proceedings of the Second Neonatal Cell Therapies Symposium (2024).

Cell therapies as treatments for neonatal conditions have attracted significant research and parent interest over the last two decades. Mesenchymal stromal cells, umbilical cord blood cells and neural stem cells translate from lab, to preclinical and into clinical trials, with contributions being made from all over the world. Effective and timely translation involves frequent reflection and consultation from research-adjacent fields (i.

Vascular responsiveness to low-dose dexamethasone in extremely premature infants: negative influence of fetal growth restriction.

Dexamethasone is frequently prescribed for preterm infants to wean from respiratory support and/or to facilitate extubation. This pre-/postintervention prospective study ascertained the impact on clinical (respiratory support) and echocardiographic parameters after dexamethasone therapy in preterm fetal growth restriction (FGR) infants compared with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. Echocardiography was performed within 24 h before the start and after completion of 10-day therapy.

Safety of Hepatitis B Vaccines (Monovalent or as Part of Combination) in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review.

: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination against hepatitis B as soon as possible following birth for all infants, regardless of prematurity. Hepatitis B vaccination at birth is clearly justified, represents a crucial step in the global control of perinatally acquired hepatitis B and there are no safety concerns in infants born at term. However, there is limited information on the safety of the hepatitis B vaccine in preterm infants, whose immune responses and morbidity risk differ from those in infants born at term.

A systematic review of immune-based interventions for perinatal neuroprotection: closing the gap between animal studies and human trials.

Background: Perinatal infection/inflammation is associated with a high risk for neurological injury and neurodevelopmental impairment after birth. Despite a growing preclinical evidence base, anti-inflammatory interventions have not been established in clinical practice, partly because of the range of potential targets. We therefore systematically reviewed preclinical studies of immunomodulation to improve neurological outcomes in the perinatal brain and assessed their therapeutic potential.