Comparing nSOFA, CRIB-II, and SNAPPE-II for predicting mortality and short-term morbidities in preterm infants ≤32 weeks gestation.

Background: Neonatal illness severity scores are not extensively studied for their ability to predict mortality or morbidity in preterm infants. The aim of this study was to compare the Neonatal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (nSOFA), Clinical Risk Index for Babies-II (CRIB-II), and Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology with Perinatal extension-II (SNAPPE-II) for predicting mortality and short-term morbidities in preterm infants ≤32 weeks.

Methods: In this retrospective study, infants born in 2017-2018 with gestational age (GA) ≤32 weeks were evaluated.

Efficacy and Safety of Aflibercept and Ranibizumab in the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy, recurrence rate, and recurrence interval of intravitreal injection of aflibercept (IVA) and ranibizumab (IVR) in patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study of neonates hospitalized from January 2018 to March 2023 in the Department of Neonatology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University who received intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor owing to type 1 prethreshold ROP, threshold ROP, or aggressive posterior ROP. Clinical data were collected to record the cure, recurrence, number of injections, and side effects of ROP.

The efficacy and ocular safety following aflibercept, conbercept, ranibizumab, bevacizumab, and laser for retinopathy of prematurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is typically treated with laser photocoagulation and/or intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). To the best of our knowledge, most systematic reviews have focused on comparing anti-VEGF against laser treatment while comparisons between different anti-VEGF agents are lacking. Thus, we conducted this meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of different anti-VEGF agents or laser after primary ROP therapy.

[Establishment of a nomogram model for predicting the risk of early-onset sepsis in very preterm infants].

Objectives: To identify risk factors associated with early-onset sepsis (EOS) in very preterm infants and develop a nomogram model for predicting the risk of EOS.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 344 very preterm infants delivered at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and admitted to the Department of Neonatology between January 2020 and December 2022. These infants were randomly divided into a training set (241 infants) and a validating set (103 infants) in a 7:3 ratio.

The effect of time interval between antenatal corticosteroid administration and delivery on outcomes in late preterm neonates born to mothers with diabetes: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The study aims to investigate whether the time interval between administering antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) and delivery influences the neonatal outcomes in late preterm (LPT) neonates (34 + 0 to 36 + 6 weeks) born to mothers with diabetes.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study included women with any type of diabetes who gave birth between 34 + 0 weeks and 36 + 6 weeks of gestation. Based on the time interval between the first dose of corticosteroid and delivery, the cases were stratified into the following groups: <2, 2-7, and >7 days.

Global, regional, and national burden of neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections, 1990-2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Unlabelled: To provide an overview of the global, regional, and national incidence and mortality of neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections (NS) and their change trends from 1990 to 2019, based on the data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. This was a retrospective demographic analysis based on aggregated data. Annual incident cases, deaths, age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and their percentage changes of NS during 1990-2019 were collected from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study.

Short-term effects of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents on body weight and multiple systems after treatment for retinopathy of prematurity.

Objectives: This study's goal was to assess the short-term effect on body weight and multiple systems following intravitreal injections of ranibizumab and aflibercept for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods: We retrospectively assessed infants with ROP who received intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents (VEGF) treatment at our hospital. They were classified into 2 groups based on the drugs administered: the intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) group and the intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) group.

[Risk factors for recurrence after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection for retinopathy of prematurity].

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection in the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and the risk factors for recurrence.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 159 infants with ROP who were born in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and underwent anti-VEGF treatment from January 2016 to December 2021. According to the presence or absence of recurrence within the follow-up period after initial anti-VEGF treatment, they were divided into a recurrence group with 24 infants and a non-recurrence group with 135 infants.

Walking alone milestone combined reading-frame rule improves early prediction of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: To explore the potential of walking alone milestone combined reading-frame rule to improve the early diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Method: To retrospectively describe the genotype and phenotype of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (BMD) patients with deletions and duplicates in the dystrophin gene. The sensitivity and specificity of the reading frame rule were calculated and compared to that of the combined reading frame rule and walking alone milestone.

The Impact of Time Interval Between First Extubation and Reintubation on Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia or Death in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

Objective: To explore the association between time from first extubation to reintubation and moderate-to-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or death in very low birth weight infants.

Study Design: Infants weighing <1,500 g at birth, requiring mechanical ventilation, and undergoing their initial extubation were retrospectively included from January 2014 to December 2021. They were divided into the moderate-to-severe BPD/death group and the comparison group according to the incidence of moderate-to-severe BPD or death.

The risk factors of preterm birth: A multicentre case-control survey in China in 2018.

Objectives: To investigate the risk profile of preterm birth (PTB) in 2018 in China.

Method: A prospective multicentre case-control study was conducted in 15 hospitals located in seven provinces throughout three geographical areas (the Eastern, South-Central and North-Western regions) in China. A total of 3147 preterm (<37 weeks) and 3147 term (37 to 41 weeks) live-birth mothers were included.

Time Interval From Early-Term Antenatal Corticosteroids Administration to Delivery and the Impact on Neonatal Outcomes.

Objectives: To determine the association between the time interval from antenatal corticosteroids administration to delivery and neonatal complications in diabetic mothers undergoing early term (37+0 to 38+6 weeks) scheduled cesarean section (ETSCS).

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study of women with any form of diabetes in pregnancy undergoing ETSCS was included. Cases were stratified into the following groups based on the time interval from the first dose of corticosteroids administration to delivery: <2, 2-7, and >7 days.

Erythropoietin for preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO) has erythropoiesis and anti-inflammatory properties that might help reduce lung injury in preterm infants.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the possible role of rEPO in altering the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of rEPO for the prevention of BPD in preterm infants.

Outcome Analysis of Severe Hyperbilirubinemia in Neonates Undergoing Exchange Transfusion.

Objective: Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia can cause neurological disability or mortality if not effectively managed. Exchange transfusion (ET) is an efficient treatment to prevent bilirubin neurotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes in severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia with ET and to identify the potential risk factors for poor outcomes.

A Cross-Sectional Nationwide Study on Accessibility and Availability of Neonatal care Resources in Hospitals of China: Current Situation, Mortality and Regional Differences: Neonatal Care Resources and Newborn Mortality in China.

Background: To investigate the current situation of neonatal care resources (NCR), newborn mortality rates (NMR), regional differences and existing challenges in China.

Methods: By using a self-designed questionnaire form and the cross-sectional method, we conducted a survey of all hospitals equipped with neonatal facilities in China from March 2019 to March 2020 with respect to the level and nature of these hospitals, the number of newborn beds and NICU beds, the number of neonatal pediatricians, and the development of therapeutic techniques. The data about the newborn births and deaths were retrieved from the annual statistics of the health commissions of the related provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

miR-141-3p inhibits the activation of astrocytes and the release of inflammatory cytokines in bacterial meningitis through down-regulating HMGB1.

Background: Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a serious infectious disease of the central nervous system that often occurs in children and adolescents. Many studies have suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in BM. This study aimed to address the effects of miR-141-3p on astrocyte activation and inflammatory response in BM through HMGB1.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy diagnosis and treatment: a National Survey in China.

Background: Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) affects as many as 100,000 infants each year in China. Therapeutic hypothermia reduces HIE related mortality and long-term neurodevelopmental disabilities. National guidelines for HIE management were published a decade ago.

Mortality and Morbidity of Infants Born Extremely Preterm at Tertiary Medical Centers in China From 2010 to 2019.

Importance: Extreme prematurity is associated with a substantial burden on health care systems worldwide. However, little is known about the prognosis of infants born extremely preterm in developing countries, such as China.

Objective: To describe survival and major morbidity among infants born extremely preterm in China over the past decade.

Electroencephalography monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit: a Chinese perspective.

Background: Electroencephalography (EEG) is an accessible technique for bedside monitoring of the cerebral function in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The popularization of EEG in the field of newborns in China is relatively late compared with western countries. To learn more about current practices and improvement of EEG monitoring, we conducted a survey to describe current utilization of EEG in NICU in China.

[Gene variant analysis of a child presented with neonatal diabetes and multiple organ malformations].

Objective: To explore the genetic basis for an infant with neonatal diabetes (NDM) and multiple malformations.

Methods: Genetic variants were detected by next generation sequencing (NGS). Suspected variant was verified by Sanger sequencing.

Sirt1 Regulates Oxidative Stress in Oxygen-Glucose Deprived Hippocampal Neurons.

Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Sirtuin1 (Sirt1) is a deacetylase that depends on NAD, which has an important role in antioxidant metabolism. Furthermore, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-co-activator 1α (PGC-1α) is a key regulator of mitochondrial oxidative stress, which is regulated by Sirt1.

Erythropoietin prevents necrotizing enterocolitis in very preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most severe complications in very preterm infants, but there are currently no accepted methods to prevent NEC. Studies have shown that erythropoietin (EPO) has the potential to prevent NEC or improve outcomes of preterm NEC. This study aimed to determine whether recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) could protect against NEC in very preterm infants.

A multicentre observational study on neonates exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in China: the Neo-SARS-CoV-2 Study protocol.

Introduction: An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in Wuhan, China starting in December 2019. Yet the clinical features and long-term outcomes of neonates with SARS-CoV-2 exposure are lacking. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical course and prognosis of the neonates exposed to SARS-CoV-2.

A randomized controlled trial protocol comparing the feeds of fresh versus frozen mother's own milk for preterm infants in the NICU.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the leading cause of death among preterm infants born at < 30 weeks' gestation. The incidence of NEC is reduced when infants are fed human milk. However, in many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), it is standard practice to freeze and/or pasteurize human milk, which deactivates bioactive components that may offer additional protective benefits.