The Italian Perinatal Surveillance System SPItOSS: insights from Confidential Enquiries.

Background: An effective strategy to reduce perinatal mortality requires an active surveillance system. This includes monitoring cases, organizing multidisciplinary local audits, conducting Confidential Enquiries, identifying avoidable factors, and facilitating changes in the healthcare system. In 2017, the Italian Obstetric Surveillance System launched the SPItOSS pilot Perinatal Surveillance System.

Are Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae Screenings in Pregnant Women Being Properly Performed? A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study in Italy.

A new Italian intersociety position statement on the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum was published in 2023. In this document, attention was paid to the indications for the screening of gonococcal and chlamydial infections during pregnancy according to the international and national guidelines for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We conducted an observational retrospective study to assess whether the current guidelines for the prevention of STIs are being followed correctly.

Vitamin D Supplementation in Neonatal and Infant MIS-C Following COVID-19 Infection.

To date, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still represents a great clinical challenge worldwide, and effective anti-COVID-19 drugs are limited. For this reason, nutritional supplements have been investigated as adjuvant therapeutic approaches in disease management. Among such supplements, vitamin D has gained great interest, due to its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory actions both in adult and pediatric populations.

Exploring the adoption of less restricted criteria for respiratory syncytial virus prophylaxis in late preterm infants: insights from a retrospective analysis.

Background: Preterm infants born between 33 and 35 weeks of gestational age (wGA) have been considered a "major underserved population" and ineligible to receive palivizumab (PLV), the only drug authorized to date for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prophylaxis, by current international guidelines. In Italy, such a vulnerable population is currently eligible for prophylaxis, and, in our region, specific risk factors are taken into consideration (SIN score) to target prophylaxis for those at highest risk. Whether the adoption of less or more restrictive eligibility criteria for PLV prophylaxis would translate into differences in bronchiolitis and hospitalization incidence is not known.

A Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Epidemiological Investigation of a Pregnancy-Related Invasive Listeriosis Case in Central Italy.

Listeriosis is currently the fifth most common foodborne disease in Europe. Most cases are sporadic; however, outbreaks have also been reported. Compared to other foodborne infections, listeriosis has a modest incidence but can cause life-threatening complications, especially in elderly or immunocompromised people and pregnant women.

Lutein levels in arterial cord blood correlate with neurotrophic calcium binding S100B protein in healthy preterm and term newborns.

Background: S100B is an established biomarker of brain development and damage. Lutein (LT) is a naturally occurring xanthophyll carotenoid mainly concentrated in the central nervous system (CNS), but its neurotrophic role is still debated. We investigated whether LT cord blood concentrations correlate with S100B in a cohort of preterm and term healthy newborns.

Severe herpes virus 6 interstitial pneumonia in an infant with three variants in genes predisposing to lung disease.

Infections due to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) are frequent during early childhood. Usually, they have a favorable clinical course. Conversely, HHV-6 congenital infections occur in about 1% of neonates and may present with more severe clinical pictures.

Craniosynostosis is a feature of CHD7-related CHARGE syndrome.

CHARGE syndrome is a rare genetic multiple-malformation disorder characterized by wide phenotypic variability. It is often caused by heterozygous variants in CHD7 and, more rarely, SEMA3E. Although craniofacial alterations are frequent in this condition, to date craniosynostosis is not considered part of the clinical spectrum.

Spinal motoneurons of the human newborn are highly synchronized during leg movements.

Motoneurons of neonatal rodents show synchronous activity that modulates the development of the neuromuscular system. However, the characteristics of the activity of human neonatal motoneurons are largely unknown. Using a noninvasive neural interface, we identified the discharge timings of individual spinal motoneurons in human newborns.

A solution based on melatonin, tryptophan, and vitamin B6 (Melamil Tripto©) for sedation in newborns during brain MRI.

Introduction: Melatonin has been studied and used for several years as a sleep-wake cycle modulator in patients with sleep disorders. Experimental evidence has demonstrated the multiple neuroprotective benefits of this indoleamine secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin is also used in neurological investigations, for its ability to induce sleep in children.

Neonatal Encephalopathy and SIADH during RSV Infection.

Objective: This report discusses the neurological involvement in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in neonates.

Study Design: We present a case report of a 2-month-old infant affected by a bronchiolitis RSV-positive, with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) correlated seizure and encephalopathy.

Results: RSV infection can be associated as a serious disease in newborns involving the central nervous system (CNS) and causing seizures or acute encephalopathy.

Patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants born at 23-24 weeks' gestation: Should we pay more attention?

Background: Infants born at 23-24 weeks' gestation have the highest risk of developing a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA), that is refractory to pharmacological closure requiring surgical ligation. Thus, these patients might have the greatest benefits from hsPDA closure, although previous studies on PDA closure were not focused on this population.

Aim: To compare the occurrence of hsPDA, failure rate of the first course of ibuprofen in closing hsPDA, and need of surgical closure in infants born at 23-24 weeks' gestation to those in infants born at 25-28 weeks' gestation.

Re-comparing of three different epidemic seasons of bronchiolitis: different prophylaxis approaches.

During the last epidemic season of bronchiolitis (S2, years 2016-2017) we performed a single Centre analysis in inborn infant of 30-32 gestational age and age < 12 months who did not receive prophylaxis with palivizumab (PLV), in light of the current AIFA (Italian Drug Agency) guidelines restricting the time of the prophylaxis to those born < 30 weeks of gestational age. During that epidemic season, we observed a rising trend of bronchiolitis-related hospitalization and an increased rate of mechanical ventilation in preterm child compared to the previous one (S1, years 2015-2016) during which infants of this same gestational age received palivizumab (PLV) prophylaxis, according to the 2015 Italian Guidelines.In light of the revised AIFA guidelines (November 2017), allowing once again prophylaxis with PLV in infants of > 30 weeks gestational age, we decided to repeat our observation during the last epidemic season (S3, years 2017-2018), in order to compare ours infants of 30-32 gestational age with preterm of the same gestational age born in our unit in the previous seasons (S1 and S2), to evaluate the clinical impact of the different prophylaxis approaches.

Early manifestation of arm-leg coordination during stepping on a surface in human neonates.

The accomplishment of mature locomotor movements relies upon the integrated coordination of the lower and upper limbs and the trunk. Human adults normally swing their arms and a quadrupedal limb coordination persists during bipedal walking despite a strong corticospinal control of the upper extremities that allows to uncouple this connection during voluntary activities. Here we investigated arm-leg coordination during stepping responses on a surface in human neonates.

Comparing of two different epidemic seasons of bronchiolitis.

Acute bronchiolitis is the most common cause of hospitalizations in infants < 12 months of age and preventive efforts remain the most important strategy to date. Recently prophylaxis with palivizumab (PLV) was limited to preterm infants with < 29 weeks gestational age (wGA).We performed a single center analysis in preterm infants (GA between 30 and 32 weeks) and age < 12 months to compare prophylaxis with PLV and frequency and characteristics of bronchiolitis and bronchiolitis-related hospitalization in two consecutive epidemic seasons (S1 vs S2).

Corrigendum: Foot Placement Characteristics and Plantar Pressure Distribution Patterns during Stepping on Ground in Neonates.

[This corrects the article on p. 784 in vol. 8, PMID: 29066982.

Lutein levels in arterial cord blood correlate with neuroprotein activin A in healthy preterm and term newborns: A trophic role for lutein?

Background: Lutein (LT) is a naturally occurring xanthophyll carotenoid most predominant in the central nervous system (CNS), but its neurotrophic role is still debated. We therefore investigated whether cord blood concentrations correlated with a well-established neurobiomarker, namely activin A.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study on the distribution of LT and activin A in arterial cord blood of healthy preterm (n=50) and term (n=82) newborns according to weeks of gestational age (wGA) and gender.

Foot Placement Characteristics and Plantar Pressure Distribution Patterns during Stepping on Ground in Neonates.

Stepping on ground can be evoked in human neonates, though it is rather irregular and stereotyped heel-to-toe roll-over pattern is lacking. Such investigations can provide insights into the role of contact- or load-related proprioceptive feedback during early development of locomotion. However, the detailed characteristics of foot placements and their association with motor patterns are still incompletely documented.

Plasma lactoferrin levels in newborn preterm infants with sepsis.

Introduction: Lactoferrin (Lf) is one of the major proteins of all exocrine secretions with a role in the antinfective process. Our aim was to evaluate how plasma Fl levels may change in response to infection in newborn preterm infants.

Methods: A total of 15 (8 females, 7 males) newborn preterm infants with a postnatal age >72 h of life, underwent to blood culture and others markers of infection, for suspected sepsis, were enrolled in the study.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Monitoring, Superior Vena Cava Flow, and Neurodevelopmental Outcome at 2 years in a Cohort of Very Low-Birth-Weight Infants.

Objective We aimed at assessing the association between superior vena cava flow (SVCf), regional (cerebral) tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2), and cerebral fractional oxygen extraction (CFOE) during the first 48 hours of life and 2-years neurodevelopmental outcome of very low-birth-weight infants (VLBW). Methods We prospectively studied 60 VLBW infants admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit; rSO2 was continuously monitored with near-infrared spectroscopy during the first 48 hours of life, SVCf was measured at 4 to 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours, and CFOE was calculated. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed at 24 months corrected age.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with autoimmune diseases in Pavia, Italy.

Background: The increased number of childbearing women with autoimmune diseases leads to a growing interest in studying relationship among maternal disease, therapy, pregnancy and off-spring. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of autoimmune disease on pregnancy and on neonatal outcome, taking into account the maternal treatment and the transplacental autoantibodies passage.

Methods: We studied 70 infants born to 70 pregnant women with autoimmune disease attended in Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy from June 2005 to June 2012.