Platelet transfusion in neonatal intensive care units of 22 European countries: a prospective observational study.

Background: Platelet transfusions are given to preterm infants with severe thrombocytopenia aiming to prevent haemorrhage. The PlaNeT2/MATISSE trial revealed higher rates of mortality and/or major bleeding in preterm infants receiving prophylactic platelet transfusions at a platelet count threshold of 50 × 10/L compared to 25 × 10/L. The extent to which this evidence has been incorporated into clinical practice is unknown, thus we aimed to describe current neonatal platelet transfusion practices in Europe.

Expression of activin A in liver tissue and the outcome of patients with biliary atresia.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare disease of unknown etiology which leads to cirrhosis and death if left untreated. The standard of care is an early hepatoportoenterostomy (HPE). Long-term follow-up is mandatory, during which most patients will require a liver transplant.

Machine Learning for the Identification of Key Predictors to Bayley Outcomes: A Preterm Cohort Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to understand how neurological development of preterm infants can be predicted at earlier stages and explore the possibility of applying personalized approaches.

Methods: Our study included a cohort of 64 preterm infants, between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation. Linear and nonlinear models were used to evaluate feature predictability to Bayley outcomes at the corrected age of 2 years.

Regional cerebral oxygen saturation variability and brain injury in preterm infants.

Objective: To examine whether variation of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO) within three days after delivery predicts development of brain injury (intraventricular/cerebellar hemorrhage or white matter injury) in preterm infants.

Study Design: A prospective study of neonates <32 weeks gestational age with normal cranial ultrasound admitted between 2018 and 2022. All received rScO monitoring with near-infrared spectroscopy at admission up to 72 h of life.

Fetal permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia with dilated cardiomyopathy, normal heart rate and transient fetal hydrops; a case report.

Permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT) is a rare form of congenital arrhythmia occurring predominantly in infants and children. Prenatal presentation is frequently characterized by incessant tachycardia leading to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Some patients can have a normal heart rate which leads to a delayed diagnosis.

Severe intracranial haemorrhage in neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia due to antibodies against human platelet antigen 1b: Case report and literature review.

Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a rare life-threatening disorder, leading to severe thrombocytopenia and potentially bleeding, with intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) being the most serious complication. We report on a FNAIT case with fourth-degree ICH that arose due to antibodies against human platelet antigen (HPA)-1b. The male infant, born to an otherwise healthy mother, presented with severe signs of ICH soon after delivery.

The visibility of the periventricular crossroads of pathways in preterm infants as a predictor of neurological outcome and occurrence of neonatal epileptic seizures.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between the neurological outcome, neonatal epileptic seizures, and signal-intensity visibility of the frontal and parietal periventricular crossroads of pathways on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in preterm infants at term-equivalent age.

Methods: The study enrolled 48 preterm infants born between 2012 and 2016. The signal-intensity characteristics of the frontal and parietal periventricular crossroads were evaluated and classified into four grades.

Transient structural MRI patterns correlate with the motor functions in preterm infants.

Aim: To explore the relationships between transient structural brain patterns on MRI at preterm and at term-equivalent age (TEA) as a predictor of general movements (GMs) and motor development at 1-year corrected age (CA) in very preterm infants.

Methods: In this prospective study, 30 very preterm infants (median = 28wks; 16 males) had structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at preterm (median = 31wks + 6d) and at TEA (median = 40wks) and neuromotor assessments. The quality of GMs was assessed by Prechtl's general movements assessment and a detailed analysis of the motor repertoire was performed by calculating a motor optimality score (MOS), both at term age and at 3 months post-term.

Successful separation of xypho-omphalopagus conjoined twins with extrauterine twin-twin transfusion syndrome: a case report.

Conjoined twining is a rare medical phenomenon, with an overall prevalence of 1.47 per 100 000 births. This report describes a successful separation of xypho-omphalopagus conjoined twins complicated by unbalanced blood shunting through the porto-systemic anastomoses within the shared liver parenchyma.

The Therapeutic Hypothermia in Treatment of Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy due to Urea Cycle Disorders and Organic Acidemias.

Background: Hyperammonemic encephalopathy in newborns with urea cycle disorders and certain organic acidurias can cause severe brain injury, coma and death. Standard therapy includes protein restriction, nitrogen-scavenging drugs, prevention of catabolism and hemodialysis. Neuroprotective hypothermia as part of the treatment has been reported only 3 times.

Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have a high residual morbidity rate. We compared self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between patients with CDH and healthy children.

Methods: Forty-five patients with CDH who were born from January 1, 1990, through February 15, 2015, were matched to healthy, age-matched control participants at a 1:2 ratio.

Incidence of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in Olmsted County, Minnesota: a population-based study.

Objective: The rate of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) varies, but most reports estimate the incidence to be less than three per 10,000 births. Our objective was to document the incidence of CDH in a geographically well-defined population using available resources for highly accurate incident case ascertainment.

Methods: We ascertained CDH cases in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States of America, from 1981 through 2014 using resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: The Side of Diaphragmatic Defect and Associated Nondiaphragmatic Malformations.

 Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has different clinical presentations depending on whether it is right sided (R-CDH) or left sided (L-CDH). Some have suggested that L-CDH and R-CDH may represent different syndromic phenotypes. This theory would be indirectly supported if different nondiaphragmatic anomalies were associated with laterality.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: outcomes of neonates treated at Mayo Clinic with and without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Background: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a rare anomaly with high mortality and long-term comorbid conditions.

Aims: Our aim was to describe the presenting characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of consecutive patients with CDH treated at our institution.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study and identified consecutive neonates treated for CDH from 2001 to 2015 at our institution.

Postoperative Gastric Perforation in a Newborn with Duodenal Atresia.

Gastric perforation (GP) in neonates is a rare entity with high mortality. Although the etiology is not completely understood, it mostly occurs in premature neonates on assisted ventilation. Combination of duodenal atresia and gastric perforation is very rare.

Hernia Sac Presence Portends Better Survivability of Isolated Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia with "Liver-Up".

 The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of a hernia sac in isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) with intrathoracic liver herniation ("liver-up").  A retrospective study from the single tertiary center. Isolated "liver-up" CDH neonates referred to our institution between 2000 and 2015 were reviewed for the presence or absence of a hernia sac.

Neurocognitive outcomes in congenital diaphragmatic hernia survivors: a cross-sectional prospective study.

Background/purpose: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) survivors may have persistent neurocognitive delays. We assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes in CDH survivors from infancy to late teenage years.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 37 CDH survivors to examine neurocognitive functioning.

Survival prediction of high-risk outborn neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia from capillary blood gases.

Background: The extent of lung hypoplasia in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) can be assessed from gas exchange. We examined the role of preductal capillary blood gases in prognosticating outcome in patients with CDH.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed demographic data, disease characteristics, and preductal capillary blood gases on admission and within 24 h following admission for 44 high-risk outborn neonates.

Cardiopulmonary exercise performance is reduced in congenital diaphragmatic hernia survivors.

Background: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is associated with lung hypoplasia. CDH survivors may have pulmonary morbidity that can decrease cardiopulmonary exercise. We aimed to examine whether cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) results differ in CDH survivors versus healthy age-matched controls and whether CPET results among CDH survivors differ according to self-reported daily activity.

Perinatal Health Statistics as the Basis for Perinatal Quality Assessment in Croatia.

Context: Perinatal mortality indicators are considered the most important measures of perinatal outcome. The indicators reliability depends on births and deaths reporting and recording. Many publications focus on perinatal deaths underreporting and misclassification, disabling proper international comparisons.

Survival of outborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia: the role of protective ventilation, early presentation and transport distance: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a congenital malformation associated with life-threatening pulmonary dysfunction and high neonatal mortality. Outcomes are improved with protective ventilation, less severe pulmonary pathology, and the proximity of the treating center to the site of delivery. The major CDH treatment center in Croatia lacks a maternity ward, thus all CDH patients are transferred from local Zagreb hospitals or remote areas (outborns).