Determinants of premature infant pain responses to heel sticks.

The exposure of premature infants to stressors, such as pain intended to ensure their survival, may instead alter their brain development and contribute to several learning and behavioral difficulties observed in later childhood. The objective of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to compare the pain responses of 72 preterm infants to a heel stick procedure taking into consideration a variety of factors, including the use of opioids and sedatives. The pain scores assessed on the Preterm Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scale were highest for the lowest gestational age (GA) group.

Consanguineous marriage and congenital heart defects: a case-control study in the neonatal period.

The independent effect of consanguinity on the prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHDs), all and specific types, was investigated in newborns admitted to nine hospitals located in Beirut, Lebanon and members of the National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network (NCPNN). Cases were 173 newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) of participating hospitals during the 3-year period from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2002 and diagnosed during their hospital stay as having one or more CHD. Cases with chromosomal abnormalities were excluded.