Short-term morbidities in moderate and late preterm infants.

Objective: To determine (1) the association between neonatal morbidity and gestational age and (2) the impact of pre-existing maternal medical conditions, pregnancy and birth complications on neonatal outcome in moderate and late preterm infants (32-36 completed weeks).

Methods: Retrospective single-centre cohort study including all moderate and late preterm infants without congenital anomalies born at the Children's and Maternity Hospital Linz, Austria, between January 2007 and June 2010. Stepwise regression analysis was used to determine significant associations between morbidities, maternal and perinatal complications and the gestational age.

Aminoterminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide: heart or lung disease in the neonate?

Objectives: B-type natriuretic peptides have been shown to enable differentiation between heart and lung diseases in adults and children. In neonates, the role of natriuretic peptides for diagnosis of congenital heart defect (CHD) is not yet ascertained. The purpose of this single-center prospective study was to investigate aminoterminal B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations and their time courses during the first 5 days of life in neonates with CHD compared with neonates with respiratory distress.

Tocolysis with the β-2-sympathomimetic hexoprenaline increases occurrence of infantile haemangioma in preterm infants.

Background: Infantile haemangioma (IH) is the most commonly observed tumour in children. Off-label pharmacological treatment of IH with the beta-blocker propranolol induces regression of IH. Based on the fact that IH are more frequently observed in premature babies than in mature babies and the evidence that beta-blocker therapy leads to regression of IH, the authors generated the hypothesis that the use of β-2-sympathomimetics during pregnancy for inhibiting premature labour might increase occurrence of IH in preterm infants.

Aminoterminal brain-type natriuretic peptide levels correlate with heart failure in patients with bidirectional Glenn anastomosis and with morbidity after the Fontan operation.

Objective: The aims of this study were to generate normal values of aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in children with a bidirectional Glenn anastomosis without congestive heart failure and to test the hypothesis that plasma levels of aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide correlate with the clinical severity of congestive heart failure and morbidity after the Fontan operation.

Methods: Aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide plasma levels of 78 patients after the bidirectional Glenn operation with a median age of 3.2 years and a median follow-up time of 3 years were measured by using an automated enzyme immunoassay.

Open-heart surgery in premature and low-birth-weight infants--a single-centre experience.

Objective: Because of their poor clinical status, infants may require surgery for congenital heart disease regardless of weight or prematurity. This retrospective review describes a single-centre experience with open-heart surgery in low-weight infants.

Methods: From November 1997 to December 2006, 411 open-heart surgery procedures were performed in neonates.