Infants In Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Research Articles

Exploring early life social and executive function development in infants and risk for autism: a prospective cohort study protocol of NICU graduates and infants at risk for cerebral palsy

BackgroundDelays in early social and executive function are predictive of later developmental delays and eventual neurodevelopmental diagnoses. There is limited research examining such markers in the first year of life. High-risk infant groups commonly present with a range of neurodevelopmental challenges, including social and executive function delays, and show higher rates of autism diagnoses later in life. For example, it has been estimated that up to 30% of infants diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) will go on to be diagnosed with autism later in life.MethodsThis article presents a protocol of a prospective longitudinal study. The primary aim of this study is to identify early life markers of delay in social and executive function in high-risk infants at the earliest point in time, and to explore how these markers may relate to the increased risk for social and executive delay, and risk of autism, later in life. High-risk infants will include Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) graduates, who are most commonly admitted for premature birth and/or cardiovascular problems. In addition, we will include infants with, or at risk for, CP. This prospective study will recruit 100 high-risk infants at the age of 3–12 months old and will track social and executive function across the first 2 years of their life, when infants are 3–7, 8–12, 18 and 24 months old. A multi-modal approach will be adopted by tracking the early development of social and executive function using behavioural, neurobiological, and caregiver-reported everyday functioning markers. Data will be analysed to assess the relationship between the early markers, measured from as early as 3–7 months of age, and the social and executive function as well as the autism outcomes measured at 24 months.DiscussionThis study has the potential to promote the earliest detection and intervention opportunities for social and executive function difficulties as well as risk for autism in NICU graduates and/or infants with, or at risk for, CP. The findings of this study will also expand our understanding of the early emergence of autism across a wider range of at-risk groups.

Pilot Testing Transcreated Spanish-Language Study Materials for Symptom Research With Infants and Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Rising admission rates of Hispanic/Latinx families to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have increased the number of non-English-speaking individuals who may wish to participate in research studies. However, a lack of appropriately translated research study materials may limit the opportunity for these families to be involved in research that could impact the care that infants and families receive in the NICU. The primary purpose was to pilot test study materials that were transcreated from English to Spanish with the assistance of a bilingual community advisory board with Spanish-speaking parents of NICU infants. A total of 19 Spanish-speaking parents (15 mothers and 4 fathers) who were representative of the population of interest completed paper-and-pencil surveys, along with a cognitive interview. Preliminary data related to decision-making and goals of care, infant symptoms, and their experiences in the NICU were also collected. The internal reliability of the transcreated study instruments ranged from good to excellent (α= 0.82-0.99). Participants reported that study materials were not offensive and did not make them feel uncomfortable; however, they found some words/phrases to be confusing. Parents had the opportunity to provide suggested wording changes. Language barriers and a lack of cultural responsiveness can affect the care that infants and their families receive. More accurate and culturally appropriate transcreation of study materials can remove barriers to research participation and facilitate better communication with non-English-speaking families, which may lead to the development of better-informed evidence-based interventions and clinical practices in the NICU.

Mortality Risk in US Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Infants by Birth Size Classifications Comparing Three Growth Curves

Introduction: Three widely referenced growth curves classify infant birth anthropometric measurements as small (SGA), appropriate (AGA), or large (LGA) for gestational age (GA) differently. We assessed how these differences in assignment affect the identification and prediction of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) mortality risk in US preterm infants. Methods: Birth data of infants admitted to NICUs from the Pediatrix Clinical Data Warehouse (2013–2018) were analyzed. Birth weight, length, and head circumference of 46,724 singleton infants (24–32 weeks GA) were classified as SGA, AGA, or LGA using the Olsen, Fenton, and INTERGROWTH-21st curves. NICU mortality risk based on birth size classification was analyzed using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression stratified by GA. Results: Odds of mortality were increased with SGA classification at all GAs, size measurements, and curve sets, compared with AGA infants. LGA classification for weight was associated with lower mortality risk at 24 weeks GA and higher risk at 30 weeks GA. Odds of mortality did not differ significantly across curve sets. Classification of size at birth alone had relatively low predictive ability to identify mortality risk, with unadjusted AUCs near 0.5 for all analyses. Conclusion: There were no significant differences across curve sets in predicting mortality. Classification of size at birth is a relatively imprecise method to identify infants at risk for NICU mortality.

Paternal Role Adaptation in Premature Infants in NICU: A Descriptive Qualitative Study

Aims and objectives: This study aimed to explore the adaptation experiences of first-time fathers of preterm infants after experiencing the trauma of preterm birth. Background: Becoming a father is a significant life event that can bring about profound changes in a man's identity and lifestyle. However, there is currently a lack of research on the adaptation experiences of fathers of preterm infants.Design: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Methods: Thirteen fathers of preterm infants were recruited from June 2022 to April 2023 at Chongqing Children's Hospital in China. Participants were all first-time parents, and their infants had received treatment in neonatal intensive care units. Deep semi-structured interviews, guided by a questionnaire, were conducted to collect data. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the data. Reporting followed COREQ guidelines. Results: The data analysis generated 28 themes, including 9 subordinate themes and 3 superordinate themes. The superordinate themes were "Role preparation", "Post-traumatic adjustment", and "Growth adaptation". Conclusion:Fathers of premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) face unique challenges during their child's hospitalization and in the initial three months following discharge. The father's ability to navigate these challenges and embrace the complex aspects of fatherhood signifies his adaptation to the role. Relevance to clinical practice: Healthcare providers should assess the role adaptability of fathers of preterm infants and provide timely and effective interventions to support parental emotional well-being and parenting behavior.

Effects of increased physical therapy staffing in the neonatal intensive care unit on oral feeding maturation and neurodevelopment of extremely low birth weight infants

BackgroundIt remains a matter of debate as to what extent early intervention may facilitate long-term functional outcomes of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We aimed to examine the effect of increasing physical therapy (PT) staff dedicated to the NICU on temporal changes (initiation, duration) of PT interventions and functional outcomes (acquisition of full oral feeding and Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination). MethodsExtremely low birth weight infants, retrospectively collected from an academic medical center, were allocated to two subgroups, either a baseline period (N = 48) without NICU-dedicated PT staff (non-dedicated group) or a quality improvement period (N = 42) with additional dedicated staff (dedicated group). ResultsCompared to those in the non-dedicated group, NICU infants in the dedicated group started PT earlier and had increased PT treatment for additional 14 min per day when achieving full oral feeding. The infants in the dedicated group significantly achieved full oral feeding earlier than the non-dedicated group. As for Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination, there were significant differences in two items (total and tone) between the groups. ConclusionsAdditional NICU-dedicated PT staff facilitated earlier intervention and increased PT treatment in terms of daily duration. Moreover, the dedication shortened the completion of full oral feeding and improved neurological development, presumably resulting in better developmental outcome.

Parental stress, depression, anxiety and participation in care in neonatal intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study in Italy comparing mothers versus fathers

BackgroundThis study aimed at documenting the levels of stress, depression, anxiety and participation in care among mothers versus fathers of newborns hospitalised in a third-level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)...

Variability in Practice and Implementation of Oxygen Target Saturation Policies in United States' Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

This study aimed to describe target oxygen saturation (SpO2) ranges used for premature infants in United States' neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to describe if these target SpO2 ranges have changed in recent years. A 29-question survey focused on target SpO2 practices and policies was distributed via the NICU medical directors listservs for the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and Pediatrix Medical Group between August and October of 2021. Results were collected via Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). We received responses representing 170 unique, levels 2, 3, and 4 NICUs from 36 states. Most NICUs (130, 78%) have recently changed their SpO2 targets in response to target SpO2 clinical trials. Over time, the most commonly reported target SpO2 range has shifted from 88-92% to 90-95%. Of NICUs that changed limits, the most common lower SpO2 limits increased from 88 to 90% and the upper SpO2 limits changed from 92 to 95%. The interquartile range for lower SpO2 limit shifted from 85-88% to 88-90% and the IQR for upper SpO2 limit decreased from 92-95% to 94-95%. Most NICUs had designated conditions that would allow for deviations from standard target SpO2 ranges. These most commonly include pulmonary hypertension (152, 95%), severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (81, 51%), and retinopathy of prematurity (51, 32%). Oxygen saturation limits have changed over time with an overall increase in targeted SpO2. However, there remains considerable interunit variation in SpO2 policies. There is a need to achieve consensus to optimize clinical outcomes. · What are the SpO2 ranges in United States' NICUs?. · There is a shift in SpO2 ranges for preterm infants in NICUs across United States.. · Variability still persists in SpO2 ranges for preterm infants in United States' NICUs..

Impact of Parent Presence and Engagement on Stress in NICU Infants.

Infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are exposed to frequent stressors that impact their neurodevelopmental outcomes. Parent presence and engagement are considered critical to improving infant outcomes, yet associations between cumulative NICU parent presence, engagement, and infant stress are infrequently examined. To examine associations between NICU infant stress and the amount (hours per week) or frequency (days per week) of parent presence and skin-to-skin care (SSC). A secondary analysis of a data set representing 78 NICU families was conducted. Infant acuity was measured using Neonatal Medical Index (NMI) scores. Parent presence and SSC data were collected from electronic medical records. Infant stress was measured using resting salivary cortisol levels collected at NICU discharge (median = 33 days of life). More cumulative SSC was associated with lower discharge cortisol in NICU infants for SSC measured in hours per week (P = .03) or days per week (P = .05). Cumulative parent presence was not significantly associated with infant cortisol at discharge. Hierarchical regression analyses examining timing of parent presence supported a model including admission cortisol, NMI score, and parent presence during weeks 1 to 4 of life for explaining infant stress at discharge (R2 = 0.44, P = .004). Analyses examining timing of SSC supported a model including admission cortisol, NMI score, and frequency of SSC during week 1 for explaining infant stress at discharge (R2 = 0.21, P = .04). Early, frequent SSC to mitigate stress in NICU infants was supported. Results suggested that timing of parent presence impacts NICU infant stress; however, additional study is recommended.

Early and consistent safe sleep practices in the neonatal intensive care unit: a sustained regional quality improvement initiative.

To increase compliance with standardized safe sleep recommendations for patients in a cohort of regional level III/IV neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in accordance with recently revised guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). A regional quality improvement (QI) initiative led by a multidisciplinary task force standardized safe sleep criteria across participating NICU sites. Universal and unit-specific interventions were implemented via Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles with evaluation of compliance through routine crib audits, run chart completion, and Pareto chart analysis. Following QI implementation, compliance with safe sleep guidelines for eligible NICU infants improved from 34% to 90% from October 2019 through September 2022. Compliance with early, consistent modeling of safe sleep practices nearly tripled in this cohort of regional NICUs. A standardized, timely approach to safe sleep transition demonstrated dramatic and sustained improvement in the practice and modeling of safe sleep behaviors in the NICU.

Being a "Good Parent" to a NICU Infant With a Major Congenital Anomaly.

In the United States, up to one-third of infants with a congenital anomaly require neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization. Parents of these infants may have different decision-making priorities, which may be influenced by the timing of the infant's diagnosis. (1) To compare the ranked importance of decision-making beliefs for parents of infants who received a prenatal versus postnatal congenital diagnosis and (2) explore how parents describe their decision-making beliefs. A cross-sectional, sequential mixed-methods pilot design was applied to collect quantitative data using the Good Parent Ranking Exercise and further explore parents' decision-making beliefs through qualitative interviews. Maximum difference scaling/hierarchical Bayes estimation and content analysis were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Forty mothers completed the Good Parent Ranking Exercise and 20 mothers completed qualitative interviews. Four of the top 5 ranked parenting beliefs were shared by mothers in the prenatal and postnatal groups. Mothers in the postnatal group ranked "focusing on my child's quality of life" higher. Qualitative interviews revealed that previously identified decision-making beliefs were consistent in this NICU parent population, with 1 additional belief identified. Mixed-methods analysis revealed high concordance between the prenatal and postnatal groups. NICU nurses need to know that decision-making beliefs for parents who receive a prenatal versus postnatal congenital diagnosis, while largely similar, may have differences. Future research should explore decision-making beliefs in demographically diverse parent groups (ie, fathers, partnered vs nonpartnered couples) and effective strategies for promoting NICU parents' decision-making beliefs.

Parenting Expectations, NICU Experiences, and Maternal Psychological Outcomes: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study.

Infant neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization increases maternal risk for psychological distress. However, no universal screening standards exist and predicting maternal risk remains challenging. Reconceptualizing maternal distress in relation to differences between parenting expectations and NICU experiences may illuminate commonalities across a range of experiences. This study explored parenting expectation-experience differences (EEDs) among NICU mothers and assessed correlations between EED scores and psychological outcomes 1 to 5 years post-NICU hospitalization. A 3-phase explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to measure relationships between EED scores and maternal psychological outcomes. Reflexive thematic analysis of one-on-one, semi-structured interviews contextualized EED scores. Most participants (92.9%) reported negative EED scores, indicating NICU experiences fell short of parenting expectations. Significant inverse correlations were found between EED scores and maternal outcomes, including depression ( r = -0.25, P < .01), anxiety ( r = -0.25, P < .01) and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms ( r = -0.41, P < .001), and perceived parenting self-efficacy ( r = -0.28, P < .01). Major qualitative themes included unexpected versus prepared, lost parenting experiences, and surviving and thriving. Data synthesis contextualized EED scores and revealed key differences in meaning ascribed to unmet parenting expectations. Preparing mothers for infant NICU hospitalization and creating a NICU parenting environment, which better supports mothers and their engagement in parenting tasks, may help to reduce differences between parenting expectations and NICU experiences. Further research is needed to elucidate the impacts of parenting EEDs in this population.

Effects of white noise on preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

To critically assess the effects of white noise on the pain level, weight gain and vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation) of preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Ten databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP and Wanfang Data) were systematically reviewed from inception to July 2022. Two reviewers evaluated the risk of bias separately using the Cochrane Collaboration criteria and extracted data using a predesigned information form. The meta-analysis included eight eligible RCTs. According to statistical analysis, white noise significantly affected the pain level, weight gain, heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation in preterm infants. Regardless of the outcome measurement timing, gestational age and birth weight of preterm infants, subgroup analysis demonstrated that white noise reduced the pain level, heart rate and respiratory rate and promoted weight gain in preterm infants in NICUs. White noise is a practical and potentially useful therapy for premature neonates in NICUs. No Patient or Public Contribution.

The Stress Levels of Premature Infants' Parents and Related Factors in NICU.

Parental stress related to their infants' hospitalization is a significant concern that affects both parents and their infants. Fathers' experiences tend to be understudied compared to mothers. Further research on fathers' stress levels is necessary. While parental stress has been correlated with infant health severity, the specific causes and risk factors contributing to heightened stress levels in parents of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants are not yet fully understood and require further investigation. This study aimed to examine the stress levels experienced by parents of premature infants in the NICU and to explore the factors associated with parental stress in this specific context. A cross-sectional observational design was used to accomplish this study, which was carried out on 743 parents from nine different NICUs located in governmental hospitals across various locations in Egypt. We used characteristics of parents and premature infants, and Parent Stress Scale was used for data collection. A majority of parents reported experiencing high stress in the following domains: sight and sound (80.3%), infants' appearance (69%), and the parent-infant relationship (81.4%). Additionally, about three-quarters (73.6%) of parents experienced high stress overall, with a mean score of 167.56 (21.3). About three-quarters of the parents experienced high overall stress levels. Also, factors that were found to affect parents' stress levels included premature infants connected to mechanical ventilators, previous neonatal death, parents living far from hospitals, infants delivered through cesarean section, insufficient income, and prolonged hospitalization beyond 5 days.

Pregnancy and infant outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy during delta variant predominance – Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Pregnant People and Infants

SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth, stillbirth, and maternal and infant complications. Previous research suggests an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness and stillbirth in pregnant people during delta variant predominance in 2021; however, those studies did not assess timing of infection during pregnancy, and few of them described COVID-19 vaccination status. Using a large population-based cohort, this study compared pregnancy and infant outcomes and described demographic and clinical characteristics of pregnant people with SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to and during the delta variant period. This retrospective cohort analysis included persons with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy from 6 US jurisdictions reporting to the Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Pregnant People and Infants Network. Data were collected through case reports of polymerase chain reaction-positive pregnant persons and linkages to birth certificates, fetal death records, and immunization records. We described clinical characteristics and compared frequency of spontaneous abortion (<20 weeks of gestation), stillbirth (≥20 weeks), preterm birth (<37 weeks), small for gestational age, and term infant neonatal intensive care unit admission between the time periods of pre-delta and delta variant predominance. Study time periods were determined by when variants constituted more than 50% of sequences isolated according to regional SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance data, with time periods defined for pre-delta (March 3, 2020-June 25, 2021) and Delta (June 26, 2021-December 25, 2021). Adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated for each outcome measure using Poisson regression and were adjusted for continuous maternal age, race and ethnicity, and insurance status at delivery. Among 57,563 pregnancy outcomes, 57,188 (99.3%) were liveborn infants, 65 (0.1%) were spontaneous abortions, and 310 (0.5%) were stillbirths. Most pregnant persons were unvaccinated at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a higher proportion in pre-delta (99.4%) than in the delta period (78.4%). Of those with infections during delta and who were previously vaccinated, the timing from last vaccination to infection was a median of 183 days. Compared to pre-delta, infections during delta were associated with a higher frequency of stillbirths (0.7% vs 0.4%; adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.09) and preterm births (12.8% vs 11.9%; adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.20). The delta period was associated with a lower frequency of neonatal intensive care unit admission (adjusted prevalence ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.82) than in the pre-delta period. During the delta period, infection during the third trimester was associated with a higher frequency of preterm birth (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-1.56) and neonatal intensive care unit admission (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.45) compared to the first and second trimester combined. In this US-based cohort of persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy, the majority were unvaccinated, and frequencies of stillbirth and preterm birth were higher during the delta variant predominance period than in the pre-delta period. During the delta period, frequency of preterm birth and neonatal intensive care unit admission was higher among infections occurring in the third trimester vs those earlier in pregnancy. These findings demonstrate population-level increases of adverse fetal and infant outcomes, specifically in the presence of a COVID-19 variant with more severe presentation.

Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination Subscores Are Predictive of Cerebral Palsy

The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) is a standardized assessment that identifies early signs of cerebral palsy (CP). In practice, the clinician performs this assessment in its entirety, yielding a global score. This study aimed to investigate the individual HINE subscores and "asymmetries" as predictive indicators of CP. In this retrospective nested case-control study, a pediatric neurologist performed the HINE on a cohort of three- to four-month-old former neonatal intensive care unit infants. The infants' neurodevelopmental outcomes were determined by chart review when they were aged two to three years. We performed univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses to yield the accuracy of the global HINE score, HINE subscores, and "asymmetries" in classifying infants with and without CP. Of the 108 infants on whom HINE was performed, 50 were either discharged due to normal developmental progress or were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 58 subjects, 17 had CP and 41 did not. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves of univariate models yielded the following area under the curve (AUC) scores: global HINE score (AUC=0.75), "reflexes and reactions" (AUC=0.80), "cranial nerve function" (AUC=0.76), "asymmetries" (AUC=0.75), and "movements" (AUC=0.71). The ROC for our multivariable model (AUC=0.91) surpassed the global HINE score's predictive value for CP. The weighted combination of HINE subscores and "asymmetries" outperforms the global HINE score in predicting CP. These findings suggest the need for revisiting HINE, but further validation with a larger dataset is required.

Caffeine, Lorazepam, and Morphine Use in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Population and Potential Relevance of Pharmacogenomics

Abstract Medications are critical for managing acutely ill infants in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Tailoring therapies to individual differences in response and dose requirements might help improve outcomes. However, tools for optimizing pharmacotherapy remain limited. In this retrospective study, we explored the potential utility of pharmacogenetics for commonly prescribed NICU medications. All patients admitted to our local NICU March-December, 2022 were eligible for inclusion in the study. In infants who received at least three doses of one or more medications, we extracted DNA from residual EDTA blood collected for routine clinical care according to IRB-approved study protocols. Demographic, pharmacy, and clinical information was recorded retrospectively. Targeted pharmacogenetics testing was performed with a custom TaqMan OpenArray and a QuantStudio 12K Flex (ThermoFisher Scientific) with DNA normalized to 50 ng/mL. Results were analyzed using Genotyper Software version 1.3 and allele calls were made based on the combination of variants detected and consensus nomenclature. For drugs administered to at least 30 NICU patients, pharmacogenes were evaluated for variant allele frequency and potential clinical relevance. Of the 132 patients enrolled, 81 were male. Average length of stay was 47 days. Of the 64 different medications prescribed to at least one infant, for 15 of them are described clinical annotations with specific pharmacogenes by the PharmGKB and/or Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium. Of those 15 medications, three were administered at least three times to at least 30 infants: caffeine (n=102), morphine (n=56), and lorazepam (n=31). The associated pharmacogenes were CYP1A2 (caffeine); CYP3A4, OPRM1, COMT, ABCB1 (morphine); and UGT2B15 (lorazepam). Relevant to the rate of clearance of caffeine, rs2069514 (CYP1A2) was heterozygous in 18% of patients, and homozygous in 5%. Relevant to the rate of clearance of morphine, CYP3A4*22 was heterozygous in 5%. The common variants associated with response to morphine, c.472G&amp;gt;A (COMT) and c.118A&amp;gt;G (OPRM1) were heterozygous in 43% and 26%, and were homozygous in 22% and 8%, respectively. The transporter variant ABCB1*2 was heterozygous in 6% and homozygous in 11%. Relevant to the rate of clearance of lorazepam, UGT2B15*2 (rs1902023) was heterozygous in 45%, and homozygous in 31%. Correlation of pharmacogenetic results to specific clinical phenotypes is currently in progress. Pharmacogenetic variants relevant to commonly prescribed medications in the NICU are prevalent. Further clinical correlation of pharmacogenetic results may help inform selection and dosing of medications for critically ill NICU infants. This research may also facilitate detection and definition of new drug-gene associations unique to this patient population.

1659. Prokinetic Antibiotic Agents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Ripe for Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts!

Abstract Background Intolerance to enteral nutrition among infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may lead to the use of prokinetic agents to improve gastric emptying and feeding tolerance. Two such oral prokinetic agents are erythromycin and amoxicillin-clavulanate that have been used in cases of dysmotility due to intestinal failure. However, dosing strategies vary and the recommended duration of therapy has not been determined. Moreover, the use of these oral antibiotics in the NICU may fall under the radar of neonatal antimicrobial stewardship programs. Our objective was to quantify their use in the Level 4 outborn NICU at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH in order to inform antibiotic stewardship efforts. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of all infants who received enteral erythromycin or amoxicillin-clavulanate in the NICU. The number of doses of each antibiotic was obtained from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Pharmacy database. Pertinent clinical, laboratory, and outcome data were obtained. Results From January 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023, 15 infants in the NICU received ≥1 dose of erythromycin ethylsuccinate and 19 infants received ≥1 dose of amoxicillin-clavulanate enterally. Erythromycin was always used to improve motility while amoxicillin-clavulanate served as a prokinetic agent in 53% of infants in whom it was prescribed. Demographics and reason for initiation are provided in Table 1. The median (IQR) doses per patient for erythromycin was 64 (28, 125; dosing interval varied from every 6 to every 8 hours) and for amoxicillin-clavulanate was 50 (9, 105) doses per patient (majority of doses were given on a BID schedule). Characteristics of infants who received prokinetic agents in the NICU Conclusion Enteral erythromycin and amoxicillin-clavulanate have not been the target of antimicrobial stewardship programs. These antibiotics may contribute to dysbiosis and adverse events in NICU infants. An automatic stop time with a time-out when ordered in the electronic health record may be a viable strategy to reduce overutilization of these antibiotics. Disclosures Pavel Prusakov, PharmD, Merck &amp; Co: Grant/Research Support|Merck &amp; Co: Employee Michael Storey, PharmD, MS, CSL Behring: Advisor/Consultant|Sarepta Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant

Hearing impairment after asphyxia and neonatal encephalopathy: a Norwegian population-based study.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between perinatal asphyxia, neonatal encephalopathy, and childhood hearing impairment. This is a population-basedstudy including all Norwegian infants born ≥ 36weeks gestation between 1999 and 2014 and alive at 2years (n = 866,232). Data was linked from five national health registries with follow-up through 2019. Perinatal asphyxia was defined as need for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission and an Apgar 5-min score of 4-6 (moderate) or 0-3 (severe). We coined infants with seizures and an Apgar 5-min score < 7 as neonatal encephalopathy with seizures. Infants who received therapeutic hypothermia were considered to have moderate-severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The reference group for comparisons were non-admitted infants with Apgar 5-min score ≥ 7. We used logistic regression models and present data as adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The aOR for hearing impairment was increased in all infants admitted to NICU: moderate asphyxia aOR 2.2 (95% CI 1.7-2.9), severe asphyxia aOR 5.2 (95% CI 3.6-7.5), neonatal encephalopathy with seizures aOR 7.0 (95% CI 2.6-19.0), and moderate-severe HIE aOR 10.7 (95% CI 5.3-22.0). However, non-admitted infants with Apgar 5-min scores < 7 did not have increased OR of hearing impairment. The aOR for hearing impairment for individual Apgar 5-min scores in NICU infants increased with decreasing Apgar scores and was 13.6 (95% CI 5.9-31.3) when the score was 0. Conclusions: An Apgar 5-min score < 7 in combination with NICU admission is an independent risk factor for hearing impairment. Children with moderate-severe HIE had the highest risk for hearing impairment. What is Known: • Perinatal asphyxia and neonatal encephalopathy are associated with an increased risk of hearing impairment. • The strength of the association, and how other co-morbidities affect the risk of hearing impairment, is poorly defined. What is New: • Among neonates admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), decreased Apgar 5-min scores, and increased severity of neonatal encephalopathy, were associated with a gradual rise in risk of hearing impairment. • Neonates with an Apgar 5-min score 7, but without NICU admission, did not have an increased risk of hearing impairment.

Coconut oil versus standard of care for the prevention of diaper dermatitis in the neonatal intensive care unit: A randomized clinical trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of coconut oil (CO) for diaper dermatitis (DD) prevention. MethodsA prospective, 2-group, randomized trial compared organic CO applied at each diaper change to minimal standard of care (SOC) in 1 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). DD characteristics were documented in diaper rash logs. Primary outcome was “time to rash” calculated using log-rank tests of Kaplan-Meier plots. Adverse events and parental satisfaction were secondary measures. ResultsInfants (N = 149, 40% female, median gestational age 35 weeks) were randomized to CO (n = 75) or SOC (n = 74). Time to rash plots showed no DD prevention for either group. Adverse events were documented in 29% of participants. Parental satisfaction scores were driven by rash outcome with favorable scores related to no DD. ConclusionCoconut oil and minimal SOC protocols did not prevent DD in NICU infants. Parents should be advised that coconut oil may not protect against DD.

Outcomes of a Breast Pump Combining Compression and Vacuum Technology in Exclusively Pumping Mothers of VLBW Infants in the NICU

Objective:To determine whether exclusively pumping mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants could achieve adequate milk production using the PJ’s Comfort®multiuser breast pump, with its compression and vacuum technology and flexible silicone breast cup.Methods:We employed a single-site, convenience sample, 24-month, prospective, nonexperimental, descriptive study in NICU mothers of VLBW infants who were asked to complete a pumping log for 15 days.Results:Of mothers with complete pumping logs (36/51), the mean time to first pumping was 9.5 hours and the mean number of pumping sessions was 7.4/24 hours. By day 15, 83% reached a milk volume of ≥350 mL/day, 66% reached ≥500 mL/day, and 29% reached ≥700 mL/day. Comments regarding the comfort, ease of use, and features of the pump were very favorable.Conclusions:Using current technologies, PJ’s Comfort®is a cost-effective option for establishing adequate milk production in mothers of VLBW infants in the NICU.