BACKGROUND Pulmonary disorders and respiratory failure represent one of the most common morbidities of preterm newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The use of nasal high-flow therapy (nHFT) has been more recently introduced into the NICUs as a non-invasive respiratory (NIV) support. METHODS We performed a retrospective study to evaluate safety and effectiveness of nHFT ...

BACKGROUND The hammock positioning within the incubators simulates the intrauterine environment, however, there is little evidence of its benefits and possible risks. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the effects of hammock positioning on behavioral status, vital signs, and pain in very low birth weight preterm newborns. METHODS This is a quasi-experimental/case series study in...

BACKGROUND Congenital heart defects (CHD) and preterm birth (PTB) are major causes of infant mortality. However, limited data exist on risk of mortality associated with PTB for newborns with CHD. Our objective was to assess impact of PTB on risk of infant mortality for newborns with CHD, while taking into account the role of associated anomalies and other potentially confounding factors. METH...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the immune response of preterm infants to hepatitis B vaccination. METHODS Three doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (5 micro g dose) were administered to 35 preterm and 21 full-term infants within 24 hours after birth and at one and six months of postnatal age. RESULTS A protective antibody response (anti-HB > 10 mUI/mL) was observed three months after the las...

OBJECTIVE Infants classified as small for gestational age are considered to have developed under adverse intrauterine conditions that lead to lack of fat mass accretion. The aim of this study was to test the null hypothesis that the fat mass in preterm small for gestational age infants assessed at term equivalent age was not different from that of full-term small for gestational age newborns. ...

BACKGROUND A host defense function for Alkaline phosphatases (ALPs) is suggested by the contribution of intestinal ALP to detoxifying bacterial lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) in animal models in vivo and the elevation of ALP activity following treatment of human cells with inflammatory stimuli in vitro. However the activity of ALP in human plasma (primarily tissue-nonspecific ALP; TNAP) on lipo...

Preterm infants are especially susceptible to late-onset sepsis that is often due to Gram-positive bacterial infections resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Herein, we will describe neonatal innate immunity to Staphylococcus spp. comparing differences between preterm and full-term newborns with adults. Newborn innate immunity is distinct demonstrating diminished skin integrity, imp...

AIM To evaluate plasma protein Z (PZ) levels in healthy and high-risk newborn infants. METHODS A longitudinal observational study was conducted. Inclusion criteria were: healthy term and preterm newborns normal for gestational age and newborns belonging to one of the following groups: newborns small for gestational age (SGA), newborns affected by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), newborns ...

80% of mineral accretion take place in the third trimester of gestation with a fetal accretion rates of 100-150 mg/ kg/day for calcium, 50-70 mg/kg/day for phosphate and 3 mg/kg/day for magnesium. During the third trimester of gestation fetal weight triples but Ca content quadruples with a faster increase in fetal body Ca accretion from 32 to 40 weeks of gestation [1]. As a result, late preterm...

BACKGROUND Few studies have differentiated risk factors for term-small for gestational age (SGA), preterm-appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and preterm-SGA, despite evidence of varying risk of child mortality and poor developmental outcomes. METHODS We analyzed birth outcome data from singleton infants, who were enrolled in a large randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of ne...