Cue-based feeding in the NICU-a pathway to earlier oral feeding of preterm infants.

Aim: To compare volume-driven and cue-based feeding of low birth weight preterm infants, regarding short-term outcomes, including transition to oral feeds, weight gain, and length of stay.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Feeding and weight gain outcomes were compared between infants fed by volume-driven and cue-based feeds.

Implementation of pooled saliva tests for universal screening of cCMV infection.

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common intrauterine infection, leading to neurodevelopmental disabilities. Universal newborn infant screening of cCMV has been increasingly advocated. In the absence of a high-throughput screening test, which can identify all infected newborn infants, the development of an accurate and efficient testing strategy has remained an ongoing challenge.

Cumulative Dose of Prostaglandin E1 Determines Gastrointestinal Adverse Effects in Term and Near-Term Neonates Awaiting Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the association between treatment characteristics of prostaglandin E1 including initiation time and duration, maximal and cumulative doses, and adverse effects.

Design: A retrospective cohort study in which medical records of neonates with duct-dependent lesions were studied for treatment parameters and adverse effects. Multivariable logistic regression model was applied for testing the effect PGE1 variables on outcomes.

Developmental defects of enamel in children born preterm.

Introduction: To investigate manifestations of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) in children born preterm (PT), and to explore possible neonatal morbidities related to DDE manifestation and severity.

Methods: A cohort study of 52 children born before gestational week 32 and treated in the neonatal intensive care unit; and 55 children born at full term (FT) as a control group. All the children had a dental examination at age 1-4 years by a professional pediatric dentist.

Neonatal morbidities and postnatal growth failure in very low birth weight, very preterm infants.

Aim: To assess postnatal growth in infants with and without major neonatal morbidities.

Methods: This study is based on analysis of data collected by the Israel Neonatal Network on VLBW infants (≤1500 g) born in Israel from 2009 to 2018. Postnatal growth was assessed in two 5 years epochs: 2009-2013 (n = 4583) and 2014-2018 (n = 4558).

Early exposures and inherent factors in premature newborns are associated with type 1 diabetes.

Background: Pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes (T1D) involves immune responses that may be associated with early exposure to environmental factors among preterm newborns. The aim of this work was to evaluate for association between T1D and maternal, nutritional, and medical exposures during the neonatal period among premature newborns.

Methods: This is a multicenter, matched case-control study.

The Validity of Positive Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus Cultures for the Diagnosis of Sepsis in the Neonatal Unit.

Objective: Coagulase-negative (CoNS) is the most frequent pathogen causing late-onset sepsis (LOS) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Technical difficulties hinder blood culture (BC) collection and obtaining only one culture before initiating antibiotic therapy is a common practice. We sought to assess specific clinical information and CoNS cultures for the diagnosis of true bacteremia in the NICU.

Eligibility for growth hormone therapy in children born small for gestational age is substantially lower than expected.

Background: Growth hormone therapy is indicated for children who are both born 'small for gestational age' (SGA) and do not achieve adequate catch-up growth (ACUG).

Objective: To evaluate the actual incidence of infants born SGA and their actual ACUG.

Methods: Birth weight data from the newborn registry at two hospitals were analysed during four consecutive years.

Deformability of cord blood vs. newborns' red blood cells: implication for blood transfusion.

Aim: About 50% of premature neonates (PN) are treated with transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBC) collected from adult donors, which has been suggested to potentially provoke PN pathologies, characterized as blood circulation disorders. RBC have properties that are key determinants of blood circulation, primarily the cell deformability. In previous studies we have shown that transfusion of RBC with reduced deformability impaired the transfusion outcome.

[APNEA OF PREMATURITY - PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, TREATMENT & PROGNOSIS].

Apnea of prematurity affects the majority of infants born before 34 weeks of complete gestation. Significant recurrent apnea of prematurity is associated with both short and long term complications and is a risk factor for increased mortality and neurodevelopmental disability. The current review discusses the recent advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of apnea of prematurity, as well as the clinical questions relevant to physicians and staff treating infants with apnea of prematurity.

De novo variant in AMOTL1 in infant with cleft lip and palate, imperforate anus and dysmorphic features.

AMOTL1 belongs to the Motin family of proteins that are involved in organogenesis and tumorigenesis through regulation of cellular migration, tube formation, and angiogenesis. While involvement of all AMOTs in development or suppression of cancers is relatively well described, little is known about the congenital phenotype of pathogenic variants in these genes in humans. Recently, a heterozygous variant in AMOTL1 was published in association with orofacial clefts and cardiac abnormalities in an affected father and his daughter.

Do developmental and temperamental characteristics mediate the association between preterm birth and the quality of mother-child interaction?

Background: The current study aims to evaluate the association between preterm birth and the quality of mother-child interaction of very preterm-, moderate preterm-, and full-term-born children at 18 and 36 months and to determine whether developmental and behavioral characteristics mediate the association between preterm birth and the quality of mother-child interaction.

Method: Participants included 110 preterm-born children and 39 full-term-born children assessed at ages 18 and 36 months. Mother-child free play interactions, the Mullen Scales of Early Learning, the Infant Behavior Questionnaire, and the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire were administered.

Factors associated with the severity of neonatal subgaleal haemorrhage following vacuum assisted delivery.

Objective: To evaluate factors associated with subgaleal hemorrhage (SGH) severity following attempted vacuum-assisted delivery (VAD).

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary medical center. The population comprised parturients who delivered at our medical center during 2009-2018, and who underwent attempted VAD with singleton pregnancies that resulted in neonatal SGH formation.

Neonatal subgaleal hemorrhage unrelated to assisted vaginal delivery: clinical course and outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of subgaleal hemorrhage (SGH) following non-assisted vaginal delivery (normal vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery), and to characterize associated factors, clinical course, and outcomes, compared to attempted assisted vaginal delivery (AVD)-associated SGH METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. All cases of SGH encountered following delivery of a singleton neonate at Hadassah, Hebrew University Medical Center during 2011-2018 were included. Maternal, fetal, intrapartum, and neonatal characteristics and outcomes were compared between AVD-related and non-AVD-related SGH groups.

Homozygous variants in MAPRE2 and CDON in individual with skin folds, growth delay, retinal coloboma, and pyloric stenosis.

Cases with multiple molecular diagnoses are challenging to diagnose clinically, yet may be resolved by unbiased exome sequencing analysis. We report an infant with developmental delay, severe growth delay, dysmorphic features, and multiple congenital anomalies including retinal coloboma, congenital pyloric stenosis, and circumferential skin creases. Exome sequencing identified a homozygous missense variant in MAPRE2 and a homozygous stopgain (nonsense) variant in CDON.

Saliva Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for Targeted Screening of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection.

Background: Saliva real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was shown to be sensitive and specific for the detection of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) in universal screening studies. In the current study, we assessed the performance of saliva real-time PCR in newborns undergoing targeted cCMV screening.

Methods: Saliva real-time PCR results were prospectively correlated with reference-standard urine detection in newborns undergoing targeted cCMV screening over a 3-year period, in successive validation (concurrent testing of all saliva and urine specimens) and routine-screening (confirmatory urine testing of positive saliva results) implementation phases.

Risk factors associated with subgaleal hemorrhage in neonates exposed to vacuum extraction.

Introduction: Subgaleal hemorrhage (SGH) is a life-threatening neonatal condition that is strongly associated with vacuum assisted delivery (VAD). The factors associated with the development of SGH following VAD are not well-established. We aimed to evaluate the factors associated with the development of SGH following attempted VAD.