Current incidence of clinical kernicterus in preterm infants in Japan.

Clinical kernicterus in preterm infants has recently been reported in Japan, diagnosed on the basis of clinical findings during the neonatal and infancy periods. We investigated the incidence of clinical kernicterus in preterm infants <30 weeks gestational age (GA) based on a nationwide survey conducted in 233 certified educational facilities for neonatologists. The numbers of infants admitted and infants who died within 14 days after birth during 2011, and the number of infants who subsequently developed clinical kernicterus, were recorded.

Breast-feeding and hospitalization for asthma in early childhood: a nationwide longitudinal survey in Japan.

Objective: Whether or not breast-feeding is protective against asthma among children is still controversial. Therefore, we examined the effects of breast-feeding on hospitalization for asthma in early childhood.

Design: Secondary data analyses of a nationwide longitudinal survey of children in Japan ongoing since 2001, with results collected from 2001 to 2004.

Japanese trends in breastfeeding rate in baby-friendly hospitals between 2007 and 2010: a retrospective hospital-based surveillance study.

Background: The goal of Japan's national "Healthy and Happy Family 21" campaign is to increase the nationwide breastfeeding rate for babies in the first month of life, which is currently below 50%, to a level of 60%. In this article, we summarize the breastfeeding rate for all of Japan's baby-friendly hospitals (BFHs) and extract their strengths in conjunction with the structural and legislative support that they have in place and finally draw up a policy for dispersing BFH activities to non-BFH delivery facilities, which could be useful for increasing the breastfeeding rate.

Methods: This study included all of the 61 BFHs that are registered in Japan.

Risk factors and pathogen profile of ventilator-associated pneumonia in a neonatal intensive care unit in China.

Background: The aim of the present study was to explore the incidence and risk factors of, and summarize the involved pathogens in, neonates with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the authors' neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to determine the effective strategies for prevention.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study including 117 VAP patients and 232 controls was conducted from January 2002 to July 2008. The antibiotics sensitivity spectrum was determined on quantitative microbiological evaluation.

New transcutaneous jaundice device with two optical paths.

Objectives: To confirm the accuracy and precision of transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) values measured by a new device with two optical paths (JM-103) and the value of total serum bilirubin (TSB) level in clinical units of measurement.

Methods: For comparison of the levels of accuracy and precision of JM-103 and the old device (JM-102), serum samples were collected from 77 Japanese infants in three different hospitals including 24 preterm infants and 53 term infants. Measurement of TcB by JM-103 and JM-102 were performed on the forehead of each infant within 30 min before or after blood sampling.