Early oxygen levels contribute to brain injury in extremely preterm infants.

Background: Extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) are at risk of neurodevelopmental impairments that may originate in early NICU care. We hypothesized that early oxygen saturations (SpO), arterial pO levels, and supplemental oxygen (FiO) would associate with later neuroanatomic changes.

Methods: SpO, arterial blood gases, and FiO from 73 ELGANs (GA 26.

Umbilical artery pH and base excess at birth are poor predictors of neurodevelopmental morbidity in early childhood.

Aim: We sought to evaluate the associations between umbilical artery pH and base excess and neurodevelopmental outcome at four years of age.

Methods: This study comprised 84 588 singleton children born alive at term in 2005-2011 in the hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa in Finland. Data from the maternity hospital information system were linked to the data from the Medical Birth Register and the Hospital Discharge Register.

Amniotic fluid and umbilical cord serum erythropoietin in term and prolonged pregnancies.

Objective: Erythropoietin - a hormone regulating erythropoiesis - is a biomarker of chronic fetal hypoxia. High erythropoietin levels in fetal plasma and amniotic fluid are associated with increased risk of adverse neonatal outcome. Since the risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality is increased in pregnancies beyond 41 gestational weeks, we evaluated erythropoietin levels in amniotic fluid and umbilical cord serum in apparently low-risk term (≥ 37 gestational weeks) and prolonged pregnancies (≥ 41 gestational weeks) with labor induction.

Low Apgar scores at both one and five minutes are associated with long-term neurological morbidity.

Aim: This study evaluated the associations between low Apgar scores at one and five minutes and long-term neurological impairments.

Methods: This study used population-based data on 399,815 singletons born in Finland in 2004-2010 and multivariable logistic regression to examine any associations between low (0-3) and intermediate (4-6) Apgar scores and cerebral palsy, epilepsy, intellectual disability and sensorineural defects by the age of four years.

Results: The odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) showed that low Apgar scores were associated with cerebral palsy at one and five minutes (ORs 2.

Comparison of Umbilical Serum Copeptin Relative to Erythropoietin and S100B as Asphyxia Biomarkers at Birth.

Background: Birth asphyxia, estimated to account for a million neonatal deaths annually, can cause a wide variety of neurodevelopmental impairments. There is a need to develop new, swift methods to identify those neonates who would benefit from neuroprotective treatments such as hypothermia.

Objectives: To examine the utility of cord serum copeptin, a stable byproduct of arginine vasopressin release, as a biomarker of birth asphyxia based on a comparison with 2 biomarkers of hypoxia and brain trauma: erythropoietin and S100B.

Asphyxia, Neurologic Morbidity, and Perinatal Mortality in Early-Term and Postterm Birth.

Background And Objectives: Neonatal outcomes vary by gestational age. We evaluated the association of early-term, full-term, and postterm birth with asphyxia, neurologic morbidity, and perinatal mortality.

Methods: Our register-based study used retrospective data on 214 465 early-term (37(+0)-38(+6) gestational weeks), 859 827 full-term (39(+0)-41(+6)), and 55 189 postterm (≥42(+0)) live-born singletons during 1989-2008 in Finland.

Atypical sensory processing is common in extremely low gestational age children.

Aim: Atypical sensory processing is common in children born extremely prematurely. We investigated sensory processing abilities in extremely low gestational age (ELGA) children and analysed associated neonatal risk factors, neuroanatomical findings and neurodevelopmental outcome.

Methods: We carried out a prospective study of 44 ELGA children, including 42 who had undergone brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at term-equivalent age, when they were 2 years of corrected age.

Amniotic fluid erythropoietin and neonatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction before 34 gestational weeks.

Objective: High amniotic fluid erythropoietin concentration reflects chronic fetal hypoxia. Our aim was to study amniotic fluid erythropoietin concentration in relation to neonatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Evaluation of somatosensory cortical processing in extremely preterm infants at term with MEG and EEG.

Objective: Prior studies on extremely preterm infants have reported long-term prognostic value of absent secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) responses in magnetoencephalography (MEG) at term. The present work (i) further examines the potential added value of SII responses in neonatal neurological evaluation of preterm infants, and (ii) tests whether SII responses are detectable in routine neonatal electroencephalogram complemented with median nerve stimulation (EEG-SEP).

Methods: Altogether 29 infants born <28 gestational weeks underwent MEG, MRI, and neonatal neurological examination at term age, and Hempel neurological examination at 2-years corrected age.

Mother-child interaction is associated with neurocognitive outcome in extremely low gestational age children.

Early mother-child interaction is one of the factors suggested to have an impact on neurocognitive development of extremely low gestational age (ELGA) children. Our aim was to examine associations of mother-child interaction with neurocognitive outcome, neurological impairments and neonatal brain injuries in ELGA children. A prospective study of 48 ELGA children, born before 28 gestational weeks (26.

Cortical somatosensory processing measured by magnetoencephalography predicts neurodevelopment in extremely low-gestational-age infants.

Background: Higher cortical function during sensory processing can be examined by recording specific somatosensory-evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) with magnetoencephalography (MEG). We evaluated whether, in extremely low-gestational-age (ELGA) infants, abnormalities in MEG-recorded SEFs at term age are associated with adverse neurodevelopment at 2 y of corrected age.

Methods: SEFs to tactile stimulation of the index finger were recorded at term age in 30 ELGA infants (26.