Outbreak of severe community-acquired bacterial infections among children in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), October to December 2022.

Purpose: In late 2022, a surge of severe S. pyogenes infections was reported in several European countries. This study assessed hospitalizations and disease severity of community-acquired bacterial infections with S.

Multi-centre randomised trial of invasive and less invasive surfactant delivery methods showed similar spirometry results at 5-9 years of age.

Aim: We explored whether subnormal forced expiratory volume within 1 s (FEV ) at 5-9 years of age was lower in children born preterm who received less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) rather than surfactant via an endotracheal tube.

Methods: The multi-centre, randomised Nonintubated Surfactant Application trial enrolled 211 preterm infants born at 23-26 weeks of gestation from 13 level III neonatal intensive care units from April 2009 to March 2012. They received surfactant via LISA (n = 107) or after conventional endotracheal intubation (n = 104).

Surveillance of Enterobacter cloacae complex colonization and comparative analysis of different typing methods on a neonatal intensive care unit in Germany.

Background: Enterobacter cloacae complex is a group of common opportunistic pathogens on neonatal intensive care units. Active microbiological screening to guide empirical antimicrobial treatment or to detect transmission events is recommended in high-risk preterm neonates. A rise in colonization with E.

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).

Iatrogenic severe hyperglycemia due to parenteral administration of glucose in children - a case series.

Background: Iatrogenic severe hyperglycemia (ISH) caused by glucose-containing i.v. solution is a potentially fatal treatment error.

Application of two different nasal CPAP levels for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants-"The OPTTIMMAL-Trial"-Optimizing PEEP To The IMMAture Lungs: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) applies positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and has been shown to reduce the need for intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation in very low birth weight infants with respiratory distress syndrome. However, CPAP failure rates of 50% are reported in large randomized controlled trials. A possible explanation for these failure rates is the application of insufficient low levels of PEEP during nasal CPAP treatment to maintain adequate functional residual capacity shortly after birth.

Developmental outcome of extremely preterm infants is improved after less invasive surfactant application: Developmental outcome after LISA.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate neurocognitive outcome at 24 months of corrected age after less invasive surfactant application (LISA) in preterm infants born at 23-26 weeks of gestational age.

Methods: Surviving participants of a LISA trial conducted in 13 German level III neonatal intensive care units were reviewed for assessment of developmental outcome, hearing and vision problems, growth and rehospitalisation days. Maternal depression, breastfeeding rates and socio-economic factors were evaluated as potentially confounding factors.

Aminoglycosides were associated with higher rates of surgical patent ductus arteriosus closure in preterm infants.

Aim: In animal studies, aminoglycosides induced ductus arteriosus relaxation in a dose-dependent fashion. We tested the hypothesis that antibiotic treatment of preterm infants with aminoglycosides is associated with higher rates of surgical patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure.

Methods: Preterm infants (birthweight <1000 grams or gestational age <29 weeks) enrolled in 62 German neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) were analysed.

Nonintubated Surfactant Application vs Conventional Therapy in Extremely Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) preserves surfactant and keeps the lung open but is insufficient in severe surfactant deficiency. Traditional surfactant administration is related to short periods of positive pressure ventilation and implies the risk of lung injury. CPAP with surfactant but without any positive pressure ventilation may work synergistically.

Hypoadiponectinemia in extremely low gestational age newborns with severe hyperglycemia--a matched-paired analysis.

Background: Hyperglycemia is commonly observed in extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) and is associated with both increased morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between neonatal hyperglycemia and adiponectin levels in ELGANs.

Methodology/principal Findings: Ten preterm infants between 22+6/7 and 27+3/7 weeks' gestation with neonatal hyperglycemia (defined as pre-feeding blood glucose levels above 200mg/dl on two consecutive measurements with a maximum parenteral glucose infusion of 4 mg/kg*min(-1)) formed the case cohort of this study.

Novel COLQ mutation 950delC in synaptic congenital myasthenic syndrome and symptomatic heterozygous relatives.

The synaptic form of congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease affecting neuromuscular transmission. Mutations in the COLQ gene that encodes the collagenic tail subunit (ColQ) of asymmetric acetylcholinesterase lead to endplate acetylcholinesterase deficiency. We report two children suffering from synaptic CMS due to two compound heterozygous COLQ mutations, IVS1-1G>A and a novel mutation, 950delC.

Hyperoxia causes inducible nitric oxide synthase-mediated cellular damage to the immature rat brain.

Relative hyperoxia is a condition frequently encountered in premature infants, either spontaneously or during treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The effects of high inspiratory oxygen concentrations on immature brain cells and their signaling cascades are largely unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of hyperoxia on the amount and topographic distribution of iNOS-expression (inducible nitric oxide synthase) in the immature rat brain, and to localize hyperoxia-induced formation of peroxynitrite as a potential marker of cellular damage to immature cerebral structures.

Erythropoietin improves synaptic transmission during and following ischemia in rat hippocampal slice cultures.

Erythropoietin (EPO) prevents neuronal damage following ischemic, metabolic, and excitotoxic stress. In this study evoked extracellular field potentials (FP) were used to investigate the effect of EPO on synaptic transmission in hippocampal slice cultures. EPO treated cultured slices (40 units/ml for 48 h) showed significantly increased FP during and following oxygen and glucose deprivation compared with untreated control slices.