Nonreassuring or abnormal CTG and low Apgar score at the first minute were established as risk factors for MAS and need of surfactant therapy as a predictor of severity.

The need for oxygen in resuscitation and maintained in first hours of life, male gender, a CPAP pressure over 5 cm H(2)O and surfactant need are predictors of ENCPAP failure in preterm neonates 26 to 30 weeks gestational age.

Results:We analyzed 1011 prescriptions of 84 active substances, made in 218 admissions. In 42.9% of the cases, medicines were used according to Summary of Product Characteristics information; 27.9% of drugs were approved for neonatal period but used in an off-label manner; off-label drugs for neonates were used in 10.1%, whereas those with undetermined approval state and contraindicated were used 6.0% and 8.7% of the cases, respectively. Unlicensed prescriptions accounted for 4.4% of total. Preterm received a higher rate of drugs used according to Summary of Product Characteristics (p < 0.0001), whereas full-term received more off-label drugs for dose/frequency (p < 0.0001) and contra-indicated for neonates (p < 0.012). Discussion: Preterm neonates received a higher median number of drugs, since they stayed longer in the unit. The main reason for off-label prescribing was the use of doses/frequencies of administration different from those stated in the Summary of Product Characteristics, suggesting that updating these documents is necessary. Manipulation of medicines is one of the causes for unlicensed drugs use, emphasizing the lack of appropriate formulations for neonatal age. Conclusion:Progresses have been made to reduce the risks of off-label/unlicensed prescriptions, but competent authorities must continue their efforts to develop safer and more effective drugs for neonatal period.

No abstract

Invasive ventilation is often necessary for the treatment of newborn infants with respiratory insufficiency. The neonatal patient has unique physiological characteristics such as small airway caliber, few collateral airways, compliant chest wall, poor airway stability, and low functional residual capacity. Pathologies affecting the newborn's lung are also different from many others observed later in life. Several different ventilation modes and strategies are available to optimize mechanical ventilation and to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury. Important aspects to be considered in ventilating neonates include the use of correct sized endotracheal tube to minimize airway resistance and work of breathing, positioning of the patient, the nursing care, respiratory kinesiotherapy, sedation and analgesia, and infection prevention, namely, the ventilator-associated pneumonia and nosocomial infection, as well as prevention and treatment of complications such as air leaks and pulmonary hemorrhage. Aspects of ventilation in patients under ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and in palliative care are of increasing interest nowadays. Online pulmonary mechanics and function testing as well as capnography are becoming more commonly used. Echocardiography is now a routine in most neonatal units. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an attractive tool potentially helping in preventing intraventricular hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia. Lung ultrasound is an emerging tool of diagnosis and can be of added value in helping monitoring the ventilated neonate. The aim of this scientific literature review is to address relevant aspects concerning the respiratory care and monitoring of the invasively ventilated newborn in order to help physicians to optimize the efficacy of care.

Survival and outcomes for preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) have improved over the past 30 years. We conducted a study to assess the changes in perinatal care and delivery room management and their impact on respiratory outcome of very low birth weight newborns, over the last 15 years. A comparison between two epochs was performed, the periods before and after 2005, when early nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) and Intubation-SURfactant-Extubation (INSURE) were introduced in our center. Three hundred ninety-five clinical records were assessed, 198 (50.1%) females, gestational age 29.1 weeks (22–36), and birth weight 1130 g (360–1498). RDS was diagnosed in 247 (62.5%) newborns and exogenous surfactant was administered to 217 (54.9%). Thirty-three (8.4%) developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and 92 (23%) were deceased. With the introduction of early NCPAP and INSURE, there was a decrease on the endotracheal intubation need and invasive ventilation (P < 0.0001), oxygen therapy (P = 0.002), and mortality (P < 0.0001). The multivariate model revealed a nonsignificant reduction in BPD between the two epochs (OR = 0.86; 95% CI 0.074–9.95; P = 0.9). The changes in perinatal care over the last 15 years were associated to an improvement of respiratory outcome and survival, despite a nonsignificant decrease in BPD rate.

We conclude that, when controlling for gestational age, maternal PE results in higher incidence of only BPD among preterm Portuguese infants.

No abstract