Noninvasive Tools to Predict Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Infants with Congenital Heart Diseases: A Narrative Review.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most frightening gastrointestinal emergency in newborns. Despite being primarily a disease of premature infants, neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at increased risk of development. Acute and chronic hemodynamic changes in this population may lead to mesenteric circulatory insufficiency.

Cardiac Mechanics Evaluation in Preschool-Aged Children with Preterm Birth History: A Speckle Tracking and 4D Echocardiography Study.

The premature-born adult population is set to grow significantly, and prematurity has emerged as an important cardiovascular risk factor. We aimed to comprehensively assess cardiac mechanics and function in a cohort of ex-preterm preschoolers. Ex-preterm children (<30 weeks of gestation), aged 2 to 5 years, underwent transthoracic 2D, speckle-tracking, and 4D echocardiography.

Neonatal Enterovirus-Associated Myocarditis in Dizygotic Twins: Myocardial Longitudinal Strain Pattern Analysis.

Enteroviruses (EVs) are the most common causes of viral myocarditis in neonates. Neonatal enterovirus myocarditis manifestations range from nonspecific febrile illness to congestive heart failure and cardiogenic shock with high risk of in-hospital mortality and long-term cardiac sequelae. Early recognition is essential to undertake appropriate therapy and predict outcomes.

Transcatheter closure in preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus: feasibility, results, hemodynamic monitoring and future prospectives.

Ductal patency of preterm infants is potentially associated with long term morbidities related to either pulmonary overflow or systemic steal. When an interventional closure is needed, it can be achieved with either surgical ligation or a catheter-based approach.Transcatheter PDA closure is among the safest of interventional cardiac procedures and it is the first choice for ductal closure in adults, children, and infants weighing more than 6 kg.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Perinatal Prognostic Factors and Short-Term Outcomes in a Single-Center Series.

: Many prognostic factors for CDH patients are described and validated in the current literature: the size of diaphragmatic defects, need for patch repair, pulmonary hypertension and left ventricular dysfunction are recognized as the most influencing outcomes. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of these parameters in the outcome of CDH patients in our department and identify any further prognostic factors. : An observational retrospective single-center study was conducted including all patients treated at our centre with posterolateral CDH between 01.

Reply to the comment on "Fluid restriction in management of patent ductus arteriosus in Italy: a nationwide survey".

The Authors Chang Liu B.S and Yuan Shi commented our paper on Fluid restriction in management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in Italy. With our study, we conducted a prospective cross-sectional survey among all Italian Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) to address conservative management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants below 29 weeks' gestational age (GA), with specific regard to fluid restriction (FR).

Fluid restriction in management of patent ductus arteriosus in Italy: a nationwide survey.

Unlabelled: We aimed at establishing the state of the art in fluid restriction practice in our national setting and providing a foundation for future research efforts. A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted among all 114 Italian Neonatal Units in order to address conservative management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants below 29 weeks' gestational age (GA), with specific regard to fluid restriction. Response rate was 80%.

Expect the unexpected: a case of spontaneous thrombosis of a pial arteriovenous fistula in a preterm newborn with review of the literature.

Introduction: Pial arteriovenous fistulas (pAVF) are rare vascular malformations, especially in children and newborns. In neonates, the most common symptom is congestive heart failure.

Case Presentation: We report a case of an asymptomatic preterm newborn incidentally diagnosed with pAVF during a routine cranial ultrasound (cUS) on the third day of life.

Sonographic Evaluation of the Endotracheal Tube Position in the Neonatal Population: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Endotracheal intubation in neonates is challenging and requires a high level of precision, due to narrow and short airways, especially in preterm newborns. The current gold standard for endotracheal tube (ETT) verification is chest X-ray (CXR); however, this method presents some limitations, such as ionizing radiation exposure and delayed in obtaining the radiographic images, that point of care ultrasound (POCUS) could overcome.

Primary Objective: To evaluate ultrasound efficacy in determining ETT placement adequacy in preterm and term newborns.

Thrombocytopenia as Type 1 ROP Biomarker: A Longitudinal Study.

This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the association between the appearance and evolution of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and selected blood parameters, focusing on platelets count. In total, 157 preterm consecutive babies screened for ROP were included and classified in: ROP necessitating treatment (group ROP1), ROP regressed without therapy (group ROP2) and no ROP (group no-ROP), divided in two phases for each group depending on gestational age. Blood parameters were weekly gathered and referred to postmenstrual age, ROP severity and phase.

Ultrasound for Endotracheal Tube Tip Position in Term and Preterm Infants.

Background And Objective: Placing an endotracheal tube (ETT) in neonates is challenging and currently requires timely radiographic confirmation of correct tip placement. The objective was to establish the reliability of ultrasound (US) for assessing ETT position in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), time needed to do so, and patients' tolerance.

Methods: A prospective study on 71 newborns admitted to our NICU whose ETT placement was evaluated with US (ETT-echo) and confirmed on chest X-rays (CXR).

Intra-tracheal surfactant/budesonide versus surfactant alone: Comparison of two consecutive cohorts of extremely preterm infants.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of intra-tracheal (IT) surfactant/budesonide (SB) with that of surfactant alone (S) in reducing the rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at 36 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA), we included extremely preterm very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in our tertiary neonatal level of care unit (Padua, Italy).

Study Design: A retrospective chart review of two cohorts of extremely preterm VLBW neonates (<28  gestation weeks, birth weight [BW] < 1500 g) born in two consequent epochs (2017-2018/2018-2019) were compared. The SB group received surfactant (200 mg/kg 1st dose) and budesonide (0.

Ibuprofen enantiomers in premature neonates with patent ductus arteriosus: Preliminary data on an unexpected pharmacokinetic profile of S(+)-ibuprofen.

S(+)-ibuprofen (S-IBU) and R(-)-ibuprofen (R-IBU) concentrations were measured in 16 neonates with patent ductus arteriosus during a cycle of therapy (three intravenous doses of 10-5-5 mg kg at 24-h intervals), at the end of the first infusion and 6, 24, 48, and 72 h later. Data were analyzed with a PK model that included enantiomer elimination rate constants and the R- to S-IBU conversion rate constant. The T½ of S-IBU in the newborn was much longer than in adults (41.

Untargeted and Targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Preterm Newborns with EarlyOnset Sepsis: A Case-Control Study.

Sepsis is a major concern in neonatology, but there are no reliable biomarkers for its early diagnosis. The aim of the study was to compare the metabolic profiles of plasma and urine samples collected at birth from preterm neonates with and without earlyonset sepsis (EOS) to identify metabolic perturbations that might orient the search for new early biomarkers. All preterm newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit were eligible for this proof-of-concept, prospective case-control study.

Severe retinopathy of prematurity is associated with early post-natal low platelet count.

Pathophysiology of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) still presents a gap. Lately blood tests parameters of premature infants have been measured at different times of ROP, attempting to detect correlations with ROP development and progression. So far, very early post-natal biomarkers, predictive of ROP outcome, have not been detected.

Survey of PDA management in very low birth weight infants across Italy.

Background: The optimal management of PDA in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants is still controversial. Aim of our study was to investigate the management of PDA in the Italian neonatal intensive care units (NICU).

Methods: We conducted an on-line survey study from June to September 2017.

Neonatologist performed echocardiography (NPE) in Italian neonatal intensive care units: a national survey.

Background: Neonatologist performed echocardiography (NPE) has increasingly been used to assess the hemodynamic status in neonates. Aim of this survey was to investigate the utilization of NPE in Italian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Methods: We conducted an on-line survey from June to September 2017.

Perinatal palliative care: a dedicated care pathway.

Objective: Ensure access to perinatal palliative care (PnPC) to all eligible fetuses/infants/parents.

Design: During 12 meetings in 2016, a multidisciplinary work-group (WG) performed literature review (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) method was applied), including the ethical and legal references, in order to propose shared care pathway.

Setting: Maternal-Infant Department of Padua's University Hospital.

Update on Postnatal Corticosteroids to Prevent or Treat Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major complication of premature birth that significantly affects mortality and long-term morbidity in numerous immature infants. Corticosteroids are particularly suitable for treating BPD, as lung inflammation is central to its pathogenesis. Corticosteroids have considerable, fast beneficial effects on lung function in premature infants with lung disease, but they are also associated with several serious adverse effects, which may have a detrimental impact on long-term outcome.

Early modifications of cardiac function in preterm neonates using speckle tracking echocardiography.

Background And Aims: Preterm newborns undergo hemodynamic challenges in the postnatal period. The aim of this study was to investigate myocardial mechanics changes in the postnatal period in preterm infants using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE).

Material And Methods: Thirty-nine preterm infants ≤34 weeks' gestation underwent cardiac ultrasound evaluation during the first 96 hours of life.

Respiratory Outcome after Preterm Birth: A Long and Difficult Journey.

Despite notable advances in the survival and management of preterm infants in recent decades, chronic lung disease remains a common complication. Approximately one in three infants born preterm (< 32 weeks of gestation) are hospitalized with respiratory problems (mainly due to infections) in their first 2 years of life, and the risk of childhood wheezing is three times higher in this population. By comparison with infants born at term, there seems to be a higher incidence of respiratory morbidity in those born preterm, even in the absence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and in late-preterm babies.

Intravenous paracetamol for PDA closure in the preterm: a single-center experience.

Unlabelled: Increasing recent evidence favors paracetamol use for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure in preterms. Our study aims were (1) to assess efficacy and safety of intravenous (i.v.

Mid-childhood lung function in a cohort of children with "new bronchopulmonary dysplasia".

Objective: Recent advances in perinatal care and neonatal respiratory therapy have led to a new phenotype of bronchopulmonary dysplasia ("new BPD"). The long-term respiratory outcome of this new form of BPD has yet to be adequately described. Aim of this study was to provide longitudinal data on lung function of an unselected cohort of children born extremely premature (EP) with an extremely low birth weight in the post-surfactant era.

Exstrophy-Epispadias Complex in a Newborn: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Aim The aim of this report is to present a brief review of the current literature on the management of EEC. Case Report A term male neonate presented at birth with classic bladder exstrophy, a variant of the exstrophy-epispadias complex (EEC). The defect was covered with sterile silicon gauzes and waterproof dressing; at 72 hours of life, primary closure without osteotomy of bladder, pelvis, and abdominal wall was successfully performed.