Quality improvement initiative to decrease time to full feeds and central line utilization among infants born less than or equal to 32 0/7 weeks through compliance with standardized feeding guidelines.

Background: There are emerging evidences that support more aggressive feeding advancement among preterm infants. Our NICU had conservative feeding advancement guidelines that delayed enteral feeding and prolonged central line use. We aimed to reduce time to full feeds among infants born ≤ 32 0/7 weeks from 12.

Interinstitutional variation in prediction of death by SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II among extremely preterm infants.

Background: Illness severity scores predict death among infants admitted to NICUs. We know of no study limited to a population defined by an extremely low gestational age.

Methods: A total of 1467 infants born before the 28th postmenstrual week at 14 institutions were given Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology II (SNAP-II) and Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology Perinatal Extension II (SNAPPE-II) values based on data collected within the first 12 postnatal hours.

SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II and the risk of structural and functional brain disorders in extremely low gestational age newborns: the ELGAN study.

Background: Illness severity measures predict death and illnesses in the newborn. It is unknown how well they predict brain lesions evident on ultrasound scans or neurodevelopmental dysfunctions in preterm infants.

Methods: A total of 1,399 inborn infants born before the 28th week of gestation were given Scores for Neonatal Acute Physiology (SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II) based on data collected within the first 12 h of admission to the intensive care unit and had a protocol brain ultrasound scan read independently by 2 sonologists.