Background In Reunion Island, a French overseas department, the burden of preterm birth and perinatal mortality exceed those observed in mainland France, despite similar access to standard perinatal care. The purpose of the study was to compare the outcome of two cohorts of NICU-admitted very preterm infants born between 24 and 31 weeks of gestation (WG): the registry-based OGP (Observatoire de la Grande Prématurité, Reunion Island, 2008–2013) cohort, and the nationwide EPIPAGE-2 (mainland France, 2011) observational cohort. Methods The primary outcome was adverse neonatal outcomes defined as a composite indicator of in-hospital mortality or any of three following severe morbidities: bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotising enterocolitis, or severe neurological injury (periventricular leukomalacia or grade III-IV intraventricular haemorrhages). Logistic regression modelling adjusting for confounders was performed. Results A total of 1272 very preterm infants from the Reunionese OGP cohort and 3669 peers from the mainland EPIPAGE-2 cohort were compared. Adverse neonatal outcomes were more likely observed in the OGP cohort (32.6% versus 26.6%, p <  0.001), as result of both increased in-hospital mortality across all gestational age strata and increased BPD among the survivors of the 29–31 WG stratum. After adjusting for gestational age, gender and multiple perinatal factors, the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes was higher in the OGP cohort than in the EPIPAGE-2 cohort across all gestational age strata. Conclusions Despite similar guidelines for standard perinatal care, very preterm infants born in Reunion Island have a higher risk for death or severe morbidity compared with those born in mainland France.

Background: Retrospective studies suggest that early hypoproteinemia has prognostic value for adverse outcome in preemies, but the underlying pathophysiology is unknown. We hypothesized that the prognostic relevance of hypoproteinemia could be related to its association with impaired cardiovascular function and organ perfusion during transition. Objectives: To describe the plasma protein status and the measures of cardiovascular function according to the outcome in infants <32 weeks' gestation. Methods: One hundred and twenty-eight infants were prospectively included from birth to discharge. During the first 24 h of life, we assessed the cardiovascular function and systemic and organ blood flow by Doppler ultrasound, and monitored cerebral and renal regional oxygen saturation (cRSO₂, rRSO₂) using near-infrared spectroscopy. These measures were analyzed in relationship to hypoproteinemia (total plasma protein level <40 g/L at 12 h of life) and severe adverse outcome (death or survival with severe neurological injury). Results: Hypoproteinemia was associated with a higher risk of a severe adverse outcome after adjustment of confounding variables (adjusted OR = 6.8; 95% CI 1.3-34). Compared to normoproteinemic infants and after adjustment for gestational age, hypoproteinemic ones had more significantly: hypotension (7 vs. 13%, p = 0.03), abnormal capillary refilling time (20 vs. 36%, p < 0.001), abnormal renal blood flow (resistive index 0.78 ± 0.11 vs. 0.85 ± 0.09, p = 0.04), lower rRSO₂ (82.9 ± 9.2 vs. 73.6 ± 10.5%, p = 0.04), and lower systemic vascular resistance (0.155 ± 0.058 vs. 0.108 ± 0.037 mm Hg/L/kg; p = 0.04). The cRSO₂ patterns were significantly decreased in infants with severe adverse outcome and independent from protein status. Conclusion: Hypoproteinemia is associated with impaired cardiovascular function. Further studies are required to elucidate the interplay between changes in protein levels, postnatal hemodynamics and clinical outcome.

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