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Background:Various strategies have been suggested for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).Objectives:The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of two common methods of RDS management among neonates with low birth weight.Patients and Methods:A cohort study was conducted on 98 neonates with definite diagnosis of RDS during 2008-2009. The neonates were divided into two groups by a blinded supervisor using simple randomization (odd and even numbers). Forty-five cases in the first group were treated with intubation, surfactant therapy, extubation (INSURE method) followed by nasal continuous positive airway pressure (N.CPAP) and 53 cases in the second group underwent intubation, surfactant therapy followed by mechanical ventilation (MV).Results:Five (11.1%) cases in the first group and 23 (43%) cases in the second group expired during the study. The rates of MV dependency among cases with INSURE failure and cases in the MV group were 37% and 83%, respectively (P < 0.001). Birth weight (BW) (P = 0.017), presence of retinopathy of prematurity (P = 0.022), C/S delivery (P = 0.029) and presence of lung bleeding (P = 0.010) could significantly predict mortality in the second group, although only BW (P = 0.029) had a significant impact on the mortality rate in the first group. Moreover, BW was significantly related to the success rate in the first group (P = 0.001).Conclusions:Our findings demonstrated that INSURE plus NCPAP was more effective than the routine method (permanent intubation after surfactant prescription). In addition, the lower rates of mortality, MV dependency, duration of hospitalization, and complications were observed in cases treated with the INSURE method compared to the routine one.

Background: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a common congenital anomaly with significant morbidity and mortality. Few surveys have been reported regarding the prenatal status, clinical course and postnatal outcome of CDH. The symptoms and prognosis depend on the location of the defect and associated anomalies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of clinical factors on the prognosis of CDH in our pediatric hospital. Methods: We analyzed 74 records of CDH neonates referred to our center for surgery between 2008 and 2015. We investigated the associated factors with the outcomes of CDH using the information extracted from the hospital records. The perinatal status, clinical course and the postnatal outcome were reviewed. Survival was defined as infants alive at hospital discharge. Results: A total of 74 CDH cases were identified. Of these, 27 (36.5%) cases were females and 47 (63.5%) males. The type of hernia in 73 (98.6%) cases was Bochdaleck and 1 (1.4%) case was Morgagni. Seventeen (23.9%) cases had right-sided CDH and 57 (76.1%) cases left-sided CDH. Also, 90.5% underwent open surgery and 9.5% thoracoscopic repair. Forty-seven (63.5%) cases survived and 27 (36.5%) cases succumbed. The survival rate had a significant statistical correlation with the place of delivery. The death rate was higher in neonates referred from other hospitals in our town in comparison to other cities (P = 0.008). Also, the resuscitation history, the status at admission (intubated or not intubated) (P = 0.00), existence of skeletal anomalies (P = 0.02) and brain hemorrhage (P = 0.045) had a significant correlation with the survival rate. The side of herniation, herniated organs, type of operation (open or thoracoscopic), cardiac and renal anomalies and age at the time of surgery had no significant correlation with outcome. Conclusions:The overall mortality rate in CDH was high in our series. Neonates with CDH should be delivered in institutes with the neonatal intensive care unit and surgery ward to prevent complications. To achieve better survival rates, pulmonary hypertension should intensively be controlled and the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be used in selected cases.

Background Most premature and very low birthweight infants cannot tolerate breast milk feeding in the first few days of life and are deprived of its benefits. This study evaluates the clinical outcomes of administering breast milk cell fractions to neonates with a birthweight of ≤1800 g. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial on 156 infants in the neonatal intensive care unit of Mahdieh Maternity Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from May 2019 to April 2020. All neonates with a birthweight ≤1800 g were enrolled and divided into intervention and control groups using stratified block randomization. Neonates in the intervention group received the extracted breast milk cell fractions (BMCFs) of their own mother’s milk after being centrifuged in the first 6 to 12 h after birth. The control group received routine care, and breastfeeding was started as soon as tolerated in both groups. Study outcomes were necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), death, and in-hospital complications. Results We divided participants into two groups: 75 neonates in the intervention group and 81 neonates in the control group. The mean birthweight of neonates was 1390.1 ± 314.4 g, and 19 (12.2%) neonates deceased during their in-hospital stay. The incidence of NEC was similar in both groups. After adjustment for possible confounders in the multivariable model, receiving BMCFs were independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality (5 [26.3%] vs. 70 (51.1%]; odds ratio (OR): 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07, 0.86). Also, in a subgroup analysis of neonates with birthweight less than 1500 g, in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the intervention group (4 [9.5%] vs. 13 [30.2%]; OR: 0.24; 95% CI 0.07, 0.82). There were no differences in major complications such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity between the two groups. No adverse effects occurred. Conclusions Our research demonstrated a significantly lower mortality rate in neonates (with a birthweight of ≤1800 g) who received breast milk cell fractions on the first day of life. Since this is a novel method with minimal intervention, we are looking forward to developing and evaluating this method in larger studies. Trial registration IIranian Registry of Clinical Trials. Registered 25 May 2019, IRCT20190228042868N1.

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Background The most common neonatal tumor is neuroblastoma and adrenal gland is the most common site of involvement. 11–26% of this tumor is seen in the thorax of neonates. Due to a similar appearance of the mediastinal tumor with pneumonia, a high index of suspicion is necessary for early diagnosis of this disorder. Case report A 17-day -old female and term neonate delivered by caesarian section was reported in the study. The mother had a normal pregnancy without any reported complications. The newborn admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in her hometown, because of respiratory distress, stridor, and tachypnea which was started from 7 days of life and due to lack of recovery and persistent respiratory symptoms, the patient referred to our hospital. In chest X-ray, opacity in the right upper lobe of the lung was seen. In barium study, a mass like lesion in the size of 35.34 mm adjacent to upper intra-thoracic esophagus with mild mass effect was observed and in CTS a posterior mediastinal mass with severe compression on the trachea and extension to the spinal canal was reported. Due to severe obstruction on the airway, the baby underwent emergency surgery and a mediastinal mass with adhesion and involvement of the ribs and spinal cord was resected. The final diagnosis of poorly differentiated neuroblastoma was confirmed by biopsy. Conclusion In every neonate with persistent respiratory distress, stridor and abnormal chest X-ray, diagnosis of neonatal neuroblastoma should be considered.

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is an X-linked dominant neurocutaneous syndrome with ophthalmologic, neurologic, cutaneous, and dental manifestations and in most cases antenatally lethal in boys. Occasionally, typical IP may occur in boys due to Klinefelter syndrome or a genomic mosaicism. Skin lesions are observed in 4 stages: blistering, verrucous linear plaques, swirling macular hyperpigmentation, followed by linear hypopigmentation that develop during adolescence and early adulthood. Neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection can be manifested in 3 forms: localized, disseminated, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Timely diagnosis and treatment of neonatal HSV infection is critical. In this case report, we present a 12-day female newborn with a history of maternal genital HSV in second trimester and vesicular lesions on the upper and lower limbs that was appeared at first hours of life. She was admitted in the maternity hospital that was born and was treated by antibiotic and acyclovir for 11 days. Then, she readmitted for her distributed vesicular lesions. The results of blood and CSF for HSV PCR were negative. Eventually the diagnosis for incontinentia pigmenti was made by consultation with a dermatologist, and skin biopsy confirmed the diagnosis.

Introduction: The Novel coronavirus, sars-cov-2, is responsible for the recent pandemic. Although it mostly affects adults, children of all ages, including neonates, can become ill with Covid-19, as well. The real prevalence rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children is unknown. However, the severity of symptoms in children and neonates is less than in adults. Regarding the new presentation of this disease, the current study has reported a case series of COVID-19 in neonates. Case Presentation: In this article, 10 neonates with COVID- 19 admitted to our neonatal intensive care units are reported. All reported neonates had general suspicious symptoms of COVID- 19 with positive results for SARS-CoV-2 assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the nasopharynx area or nose of the patients. All neonates, except for two of them, were term neonates. One case had open-heart surgery for congenital heart disease (transposition of the great arteries (TGA)). The patients aged 22 days on admission. The most frequent symptom was fever. Severe respiratory symptoms were reported in two cases. Also, abnormal radiologic findings in the chest x-ray were detected in two cases. Regarding the lack of significant respiratory symptoms in most of the patients, the lung computed tomography (CT) scan was taken just from one neonate. Leukopenia (WBC < 5000/mm3) was detected in one case, with no lymphopenia in all neonates. The positive C-reactive protein test was not found in all cases. No patient was treated by special anti-viral agents for COVID-19, and usual antibiotic treatment for neonatal sepsis was administered for all cases. All patients, except for one, survived with no significant sequela of the disease. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that clinical manifestations, as well as laboratory and radiologic findings of COVID-19, are milder in neonates than in the older ages. Hence, it can be argued that the prognosis of COVID-19 in the neonatal period is generally good.