Objective: To verify, in extremely preterm infants, if disagreement between obstetricians and neonatologists regarding proactive management is associated with early death.Study Design: Prospective cohort of 484 infants with 23 0/7 to 26 6/7 weeks, without malformations, born from January 2006 to December 2009 in eight Brazilian hospitals. Pro-active management was defined as indication of X1 dose of antenatal steroid or cesarean section (obstetrician) and resuscitation at birth according to the international guidelines (neonatologist). Main outcome was neonatal death in the first 24 h of life.Result: Obstetricians and neonatologists disagreed in 115 (24%) patients: only neonatologists were proactive in 107 of them. Disagreement between professionals increased 2.39 times the chance of death in the first day (95% confidence interval 1.40 to 4.09), adjusted for center and maternal/ neonatal clinical conditions. Conclusion:In infants with 23 to 26 weeks of gestation, disagreement between obstetricians and neonatologists, translated as lack of antenatal steroids and/or vaginal delivery, despite resuscitation procedures, increases the odds of death in the first day. Keywords: fetal viability; steroids; cesarean section; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; infant newborn; neonatal mortality Introduction According to the International Liaison Group on Resuscitation, in 2010, 1 for neonates at the margins of viability or those with conditions that predict a high risk of mortality or morbidity, attitudes and practice vary according to region and availability of resources. 2 A systematic review 3 shows that at p22 weeks, no scientific society recommends active treatment for the mother to protect the fetus beyond offering compassionate care. A general agreement is also evident for week 25 0/7 to 25 6/7 : antenatal steroid administration are recommended, prenatal transport and Cesarean section are indicated to protect the fetus and resuscitation is offered to all infants without fatal anomalies. However, there exists a gray area for infants between 23 and 24 weeks, which, in some countries, extends through 25 weeks. 3 The active management of gestations at the limit of viability involves three important clinical decisions: the use of antenatal steroids, delivery method and resuscitation at birth. One prospective cohort study between 1993 and 2007 followed 5476 infants with 23 to 29 weeks gestation admitted for neonatal care. The overall mortality among infants exposed to maternal steroids was lower than in infants not exposed: 19% vs 35% at 24 to 29 weeks and 79% vs 89% at 23 weeks. 4 23, 24, 25 and 26 weeks, respectively. 5 In the same study, 8% of the 125 542 live births with 22 to 31 weeks of gestation had Apgar scores <4 at 5 min, which indicates that resuscitation procedures were frequently needed among preterm infants. However, extensive cardiopulmonary resuscitation at birth

The need of RBC transfusions in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants was associated with clinical conditions and birth center. The distribution of the number of transfusions during hospital stay may be used as a measure of neonatal care quality.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os fatores de risco associados à ausência de aleitamento materno exclusivo (AME) em crianças <6 meses de vida na cidade de São Paulo, em 2008. MÉTODOS: Aplicou-se o questionário do Projeto Amamentação e Municípios-1998 (AMAMUNIC) a pais/responsáveis de crianças <6 meses de idade durante a Campanha Nacional de Vacinação contra Poliomielite. Cálculo da amostra por conglomerados com sorteio em dois estágios. Os fatores analisados foram idade e educação materna, peso de nascimento, sexo, tipo de parto, nascer em Hospital Amigo da Criança, presença de aleitamento materno precoce, uso de chupeta nas últimas 24 horas e mãe trabalhando fora de casa. Análise estatística por regressão logística binária com SPSS, versão 15.0, sendo significante p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Foram realizadas 724 entrevistas, das quais 275 referiram (39,1%) aleitamento materno exclusivo (Grupo I - GI) e 429 (60,9%) sem aleitamento materno exclusivo (Grupo II - GII). Houve diferenças entre os grupos quanto ao uso da chupeta nas últimas 24 horas (GI 32,3 versus GII 59,8%; p<0.001), mães trabalhando fora (GI 12,4 versus GII 24,8%; p<0.001) e idade da criança (GI 74,1±45,3 versus GII 105,8±49,5 dias; p<0,0001).Na análise multivariada, houve associação entre ausência de aleitamento materno exclusivo e uso de chupeta (OR 3,02; IC95% 2,10-4,36), mãe trabalhando fora (OR 2,11; IC95% 1,24-3,57) e idade da criança (OR 1,01; IC95% 1,01-1,02). CONCLUSÕES: O uso da chupeta nas últimas 24 horas associou-se à ausência de AME em crianças menores do que seis meses, seguido pelo trabalho materno fora de casa e pela idade da criança, que são importantes fatores a serem controlados em programas de promoção do aleitamento materno.

OBJECTIVE:To develop models for estimating the length of hospital stay (LOS) of very low birth weight infants (VLBW), based on perinatal risk factors present during the first week of life and during the entire hospitalization period. STUDY DESIGN:The files of 155 VLBW were analyzed, and the influence of individual risk factors were initially evaluated by univariate analysis, using multipleregression. Two mathematical models were built to estimate the LOS. RESULTS:The first model, using risk factors present during the first 3 days of life, is as follows: LOS ϭ Ϫ0. CONCLUSION:Both models are applicable for estimating the hospitalization period, and the addition of variables present during the entire hospitalization period improved the accuracy of the model. In recent decades, there was an increase in preterm newborn's survival, especially among those with very low birth weight (VLBW; Յ1500 gm), as a result of technological and therapeutic improvements that occurred in perinatal assistance. 1 As a consequence, the number of children who need a longer hospitalization period in neonatal units has been increasing proportionally. It is frequently observed that, after recovering from the impact of a preterm birth, the parents expose their worries related to the moment of discharge. Despite many explanations about the criteria used for discharging, the neonatologist is usually taken by surprise with the question: "When will my baby go home?"In the literature there are a few studies that attempt to answer this question, based on perinatal risk factors, but the majority analyze the relationship between hospitalization time and birth weight and/or gestational age, without taking into consideration the presence or absence of other perinatal risk factors. 2,3 In 1992, Powell et al. 4 determined 17 perinatal factors related to the hospitalization time, among 762 infants admitted to the Hope Hospital (Salford, UK), between April 1986 and November 1990, and concluded that the most important predictive factor was the gestational age (R 2 ϭ 0.39), followed by low birth weight (R 2 ϭ 0.35), and then by the presence of respiratory difficulties (R 2 ϭ 0.18).As a result of the analysis of these aspects, we chose in the present study to create mathematical models for estimating the hospitalization time, with greater accuracy than that achieved by other options presently available. These models are based on two perinatal risk factor groups: those present during the first week of life and those present during the entire hospitalization period. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe medical records were reviewed of the VLBW population admitted in the nursery from January 1992 to December 1993. The discharge criteria used was a regular weight gain in the range of 20 to 30 gm/d, good oral feeding, absence of clinical complications, and body weight Ն 2000 gm. The cases in which the LOS could not be determined due to transference to other units (necessity of cardiac or gastrointestinal surgery) or to patient death were excluded from the analysis.The influ...

Objective: To investigate the immune response of preterm infants to hepatitis B vaccination.Methods: Three doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (5 µg 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 last dose in 92.6% and 100% of preterm and full-term infants (p > 0.05), respectively. Newborns with gestational age below 34 weeks presented lower antibody responses in all three periods. However, gestational age was not important to determine the antibody response in the three periods analyzed. When antibody response was analyzed in terms of birth weight, it was observed that a protective response was present in 75 and 100% of newborns with birth weight < 1,500 g and > 1,500 g, respectively. Birth weight was shown to be a relevant factor in determining a protective antibody response at six months of postnatal age. Nonresponders received a fourth vaccine dose and an adequate antibody response was obtained in 100%. Conclusion:The antibody response of preterm infants was similar to that of term newborns. Hepatitis B vaccination can be initiated on the first day of life in preterm newborns, following the same scheme recommended for term newborns. However, in preterm infants with birth weight less than or equal to 1,500 g, whose antibody response is lower, anti-HB titers should be monitored at nine months of age, or a four-dose vaccination scheme should be provided, with doses on the first day of postnatal life and one, six and nine months later.

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OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of Cystatin C in healthy term newborns in the first month of life.INTRODUCTION:Cystatin C may be a suitable marker for determining the glomerular filtration rate because it is not affected by maternal renal function.METHODS:Cohort study. Inclusion: term newborns with appropriate weight; mother without renal failure or drugs that could affect fetal glomerular filtration rate. Exclusion: malformations; hypertension or any condition that could affect glomerular filtration rate. Cystatin C (mg/L) and creatinine (mg/dl) were determined in the mother (Mo) and in the newborn at birth (Day‐0), 3rd (Day‐3), 7th(Day‐7) and 28th(Day‐28) days. Statistics: one way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation tests. Sample size of 20 subjects for α  =  5% and a power test  =  80% (p<0.05).RESULTS:Data from 21 newborns were obtained (mean ± standard deviation): MoCystatin C = 1.00±0.20; Day‐0 Cystatin C 1.70±0.26; Day‐3 Cystatin C = 1.51±0.20; Day‐7 Cystatin C = 1.54±0.10; Day‐28 Cystatin C = 1.51±0.10.MoCystatin C was smaller than Day‐0 Cystatin C (p<0.001), while MoCreatinine was not different from Day‐0 Creatinine. Cystatin C only decreased from Day‐0 to Day‐3 (p = 0.004) but newborns Creatinine decreased along the time. Correlations were obtained between MoCystatin C and MoCreatinine (p = 0.012), as well as Day‐3 (p = 0.047) and Day‐28 (p = 0.022) Cystatin C and Creatinine values.CONCLUSION:Neonatal Cystatin C values were not affected by MoCystatin C and became stable from the 3rd day of life.

The conservative approach of PDA was associated to high mortality, the surgical approach to the occurrence of BPD36wks and ROPsur, and the pharmacological treatment was protective for the outcome death/BPD36wks.