Preterm Infants In Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Research Articles

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..

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.

Time-domain Features of Angular-velocity Signals for Camera-based Respiratory RoI detection: A Clinical Study in NICU.

Camera-based measurement of respiratory rate (RR) is emerging for preterm infants monitoring in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Accurate detection of respiratory region of interest (Resp-RoI), e.g. thorax and abdomen of infants, is essential for achieving a fully-automatic solution and for high-quality RR estimation. However, the application of fast Fourier transform (FFT) for detecting Resp-RoI in premature infants may not be appropriate due to their irregular breathing patterns. This study proposes a new method for detecting Resp-RoIs in premature infants that uses time-domain features of angular-velocity of respiration. By fusing respiratory motion on orthogonal directions, the proposed method is more robust to variations of infant posture in the incubator.. In addition, using inter-beat interval (IBI) features in the time domain helps to distinguish between Resp-RoI and background. The proposed method was validated on 20 preterm infants in NICU. It obtains a clear improvement on Resp-RoI detection (RoI correspondence = 0.74) and RR estimation (MAE = 3.62 bpm) against the benchmarked approaches (maxFFT: RoI correspondence = 0.45, MAE = 5.61 bpm).

Circumstances, causes and timing of death in extremely preterm infants admitted to NICU: The EPIPAGE-2 study.

To describe the circumstances, causes and timing of death in extremely preterm infants. We included from the EPIPAGE-2 study infants born at 24-26 weeks in 2011 admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Vital status and circumstances of death were used to define three groups of infants: alive at discharge, death with or without withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment (WWLST). The main cause of death was classified as respiratory disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, infection, central nervous system (CNS) injury, other or unknown. Among 768 infants admitted to NICU, 224 died among which 89 died without WWLST and 135 with WWLST. The main causes of death were respiratory disease (38%), CNS injury (30%) and infection (12%). Among the infants who died with WWLST, CNS injury was the main cause of death (47%), whereas respiratory disease (56%) and infection (20%) were the main causes in case of death without WWLST. Half (51%) of all deaths occurred within the first 7 days of life, and 35% occurred within 8 and 28 days. The death of extremely preterm infants in NICU is a complex phenomenon in which the circumstances and causes of death are intertwined.

Pain responses in preterm infants and parental stress over repeated painful procedures: a randomized pilot trial

Objectives In this pilot study, the aims were to determine the feasibility of whether pain behavior in extremely and very preterm infants and perceived parental stress change when parents are involved in pain reducing measures, either actively, performing facilitated tucking or passively, observing the intervention, in comparison to the involvement of nurses only. In addition, the infant’s pain reactivity and parental stress over three time points of measurement was of interest. Methods Extremely and very preterm infants in need of subcutaneous erythropoietin were randomly assigned to the two intervention groups. The intervention encompassed that one parent of each infant was involved during the painful procedure: Either parents executed facilitated tucking themselves or stood by, observing the procedure. Usual care involved that nurse executed facilitated tucking. All infants received 0.5 ml of 30% oral glucose solution via cotton swab before the painful procedure. Infant pain was observed with the Bernese Pain Scale for Neonates (BPSN) and measured with the MedStorm skin conductance algesimeter (SCA) before, during, and after the procedure. Parents’ stress levels were measured before and after the painful procedure on the infant, using the Current Strain Short Questionnaire (CSSQ). Feasibility of a subsequent trial was determined by assessing recruitment, measurement and active parental involvement. Quantitative data collection methods (i.e. questionnaires, algesimeter) were employed to determine the number of participants for a larger trial and measurement adequacy. Qualitative data (interviews) was employed to determine parents’ perspectives of their involvement. Results A total of 13 infants (98% participation rate) were included along with their mothers. Median gestational age was 27 weeks (IQR 26-28 weeks), 62% were female. Two infants (12.5%) dropped out of the study as they were transferred to another hospital. Facilitated tucking turned out to be a good method to actively involve parents in pain reducing measures. No significant differences between the two intervention and control groups were found concerning parental stress and infant pain (p = .927). Power analysis indicated that at least N = 741 infants (power of 81%, α = .05) would be needed to obtain statistically significant results in a larger trial, as effect sizes were smaller than expected. Two of the three measurement tools – i.e. the BPSN and CSSQ) – proved easy to implement and were well accepted. owever, the SCA was challenging in this context. Measurements were also found to be time-consuming and resource-intense (i.e. health professionals as assistants). Conclusions Although the intervention was feasible and was readily accepted by parents, the study design was found to be challenging along with the SCA. In preparation of the larger trial, the study design needs to be revisited and adjusted. Thus, issues of time and resources may be resolved. In addition, national and international collaboration with similar neonatal intensive care units (NICU) needs to be considered. Thus, it will be possible to conduct an appropriately powered larger trial, which will yield important results to improve pain management in extremely and preterm infants in NICU.

Effect of oral stimulation in improving feeding performance of pre-term infants in NICU: A systematic review

Aim: The Aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of oral stimulation techniques in improving feeding performance among pre-term infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Method: We conducted a comprehensive literature search of electronic databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library, from 2010-2021. Studies were included if they investigated the effect of oral stimulation on feeding performance outcomes such as time to full enteral feeding, weight gain, and length of hospital stay. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of the studies using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and extracted data using a standardized data extraction form, and data were synthesized using a narrative approach due to heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures. Result: Our search identified 10 studies that met the inclusion criteria, consisting of randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and case series. Eight studies reported significant improvements in feeding performance outcomes with the use of oral stimulation interventions compared to standard care or placebo. The remaining two studies reported mixed findings or no significant differences between groups. Overall, the quality of evidence was low to moderate due to methodological limitations and inconsistency in outcome reporting. Our findings suggest that oral stimulation techniques such as non-nutritive sucking, pacifier-activated device, and oral motor exercises are effective in improving feeding performance among pre-term infants in NICUs. These techniques were associated with reduced time to achieve full oral feeds, shortened hospital stay, and improved weight gain compared to control groups. Conclusion: The results of this systematic review suggest that oral stimulation may be an effective intervention for improving feeding performance in pre-term infants in NICUs. However, further research is needed to establish the optimal timing, frequency, and duration of oral stimulation interventions, as well as their long-term effects on growth and development. Future studies should also address methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes and lack of blinding, to improve the quality of evidence in this field. Significance of the study: Oral feeding is a difficult job for premature infants those who are admitted to NICU. Because of poor muscle tone, underdeveloped oral motor skills and reduced suck-swallow-breathe synchronization, they are unable to commence feeds from the bottle and breast immediately after birth, unlike full-term infants. As long as oral feeding is not developed, a number of non-oral feeding methods are employed which feeding methods can cause severe side effects 1. The primary barrier to oral feeding in infants with gestational age less than 34 weeks is the lack of coordination in sucking, swallowing, and breathing. Oral feeding in these infants can cause apnoea, decreased pulse oximetry, transient bradycardia, and aspiration. Therefore, in neonates those who do not reach the gestational age of 34 weeks for them bottle or breastfeeding are not considered, and developmental transition from gavage to oral feeding in a 28-week-old infant may take 6 weeks or longer. Several studies have shown that oral motor intervention on infants less than 34 weeks results in decreased transition time from gavage to oral feeding 2.

A narrative review of the effect of parent-child shared reading in preterm infants.

The benefits of book-reading interventions on language development in full-term infants have been well investigated. Because children born preterm face a greater risk of cognitive, language and emotional impairments, this narrative review examines the theoretical evidence, empirical findings, and practical challenges for introducing such intervention to this population. The effect of shared book interventions on typically developing infants is mediated by three components: a linguistic aspect (i.e., exposure to enriched linguistic input), an interactive aspect (i.e., eliciting more synchronous and contingent communication), and a parental aspect (i.e., reducing parental stress and increasing sense of control). Parental shared book reading in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was found to be feasible and well accepted. It provides concrete support for positive parenting in a highly stressful context. Preliminary evidence supports a positive effect of shared reading sessions in physiological parameters of preterm infants in NICU. One study showed that parental shared book reading in an NICU is associated with lower decline in language development during the first 24 months compared to a historical control group. Findings from a community-based birth cohort confirm the positive effect of this intervention on cognitive development with a 2-year-follow up. More structured clinical trials are now needed to confirm these preliminary findings. Questions remain about possible moderators of these interventions, in particular cultural features.

Breastfeeding promotion strategies study on preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

To explore the effect of breastfeeding promotion strategies on neonatal clinical outcomes of preterm infants during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We developed breastfeeding promotion strategies, including the establishment of a multidisciplinary breastfeeding steering team, breastfeeding support of families and society, family-integrated care, kangaroo mother care, donor human milk bank, and so on. Preterm infants meeting the inclusion standard, less than 32 weeks gestational age, who were admitted to NICU from November 2015 to February 2017 were enrolled, and the eligible infants were divided into two groups (control group and intervention group) before and after policy implementation. The data of preterm infants including breastfeeding related outcomes (time to initiation of enteral feeding, time to initiation of breastfeeding, time to achieve full breastfeeding, time to achieve full enteral feeding and rate of breastfeeding), growth (extrauterine growth restriction) and complications were compared between the two groups. One hundred and twenty-three preterm infants were enrolled, including 61 in the control group and 62 in the intervention group. There were no significant differences in gender, gestational age, birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and admission disease status between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, there were significantly earlier time to initiation of enteral feeding [15.37 (10.00, 22.13) h vs. 20.25 (12.88, 26.33) h, P<0.01], time to achieve full breastfeeding [91.00 (69.75, 103.00) h vs. 94.00 (80.37, 118.75) h, P=0.04], and time to achieve full enteral feeding [12 (11, 15) d vs. 14 (12, 18) d, P<0.01] in the intervention group. Otherwise, there were no significant differences in time to initiation of breastfeeding, hospital stay, extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) occurance rate of weight, the rate of breastfeeding, motality, and the incidence of complications including feeding intolerance, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (P>0.05). The breastfeeding promotion strategie was a quality improvement of ordinary breastfeeding protocol. It had significantly reduced time to initiation of enteral feeding, time to achieve full breastfeeding and time to achieve full enteral feeding for preterm infants in NICU. Further research is needed to confirm whether the strategies can improve the breastfeeding rate and reduce the occurrence of the complications, such as NEC, BPD, and ROP.

Trends in narcotics and sedative use during mechanical ventilation of preterm infants in Canadian neonatal intensive care units

ObjectiveMechanical ventilation (MV) in preterm infants (PTI) causes discomfort. Whether it causes pain is controversial. Meta analysis reviews of published work on PTI during MV have shown no clinically significant impact of opioids on pain scales, and hence not recommended for routine use in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Similarly regular use of sedative midazolam is also not recommended. Therefore we hypothesized a downward trend in narcotics and sedatives used in MV of PTI in NICUs. This study aimed to assess trends of sedatives and narcotics use during MV of PTI in Canadian NICUs during 2004-2009. MethodsPTI born at gestational age (GA) of 24 hours were identified retrospectively from the Canadian Neonatal Network database for 2004-2009. PTI were excluded if moribund on admission, had major congenital anomalies, surgery (except laser eye surgery), necrotizing enterocolitis, chest tube or history of maternal narcotic abuse. PTI were classified according to whether they received any narcotics (morphine, fentanyl, methadone, sufentanyl, meperidine, alfentynl and codiene) or sedatives (chloral hydrate, midazolam, lorazepam, phenobarbital, pentobarbital, ketamine and propofol) for > 24 consecutive hours during MV. Trends of narcotics and sedatives were assessed using the Cochrane-Armitage Trend test separately for PTI born at <29 and 29-34 weeks of GA. ResultsAmong 5 638 study subjects, 2 169 (38.5%) received narcotics and 897 (15.9%) received sedatives. The most common narcotics were morphine (62.2%) and fentanyl (63.8%) and sedatives were phenobarbital (44.9%) and chloral hydrate (44.2%). A significant decreasing trend (P <0.01) in the use of any sedatives during MV was observed in PTI <29 and 29-34 weeks of GA. However, the use of any narcotics during MV increased significantly (P=0.03) among PTI <29 weeks of GA, and no change in trend was detected for PTI born at 29-34 weeks of GA. ConclusionsThe use of sedatives during MV in PTI born at <35 weeks of GA was positively affected, however the narcotics use during MV remained constant for PTI born at 29-34 weeks, and increased in extremely low GA group (less than 29 weeks) suggesting evidence based practice change was not observed during the study period.

Healthcare Professionals' Attitudes and Practices in Supporting and Promoting the Breastfeeding of Preterm Infants in NICUs.

Breastfeeding preterm infants is shown to have important health benefits for both infants and mothers. A positive relationship between mothers and healthcare teams and supportive practices tend to facilitate maternal competence and promote early initiation of breastfeeding within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The aim of this study was to understand attitudes and behaviors of healthcare professionals toward breastfeeding practices and supporting mothers of preterm infants. This study adopted an ethnographic research design that involved 135 hours of participant observation over a 6-month period and semistructured interviews of 10 nurses and 5 physicians. Data analysis suggests that while staff members agree with the benefits of breastfeeding for preterm infants, the actual implementation of a breastfeeding policy within NICUs is problematic. Three key themes emerged. The first described the contradiction that exists between the staff beliefs and behaviors in relation to breastfeeding and supporting mothers. The second theme was related to staff working conditions, which described the lack of institutional support and barriers to supporting breastfeeding. The final theme of controlling relationships captured the essence of the practitioner to mother association. Together, these elements revealed a situation whereby the staff appeared more preoccupied with addressing the task of caring for the babies than with supporting mothers in feeding and subsequently caring for their preterm children. The institutional barriers to breastfeeding promotion within NICUs should be addressed by healthcare providers. Actions that provide a supportive environment within NICUs for both mothers and nurses are essential to improve the overall quality of care. Future research may include an examination of hospital policies and practices of promoting breastfeeding for preterm infants.

Prenatal education increases breastfeeding rate of preterm infants in neonatal intensive care unit

Objective To evaluate effectiveness of maternal prenatal education on promoting breastfeeding rate for preterm infants in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods Gravidas who were admitted to Peking University First Hospital for any risk of preterm delivery from November 2013 to December 2014 and preterm infants admitted to NICU (length of stay≥5 d) of same during same period were involved. All gravidas received prenatal education and completed questionnaires. Two hundred and ninety-five preterm infants who met inclusion criteria were divided into two groups including education group (n=125) and non-education group (n=170) according to whether their mothers received prenatal education or not. Conditions of preterm infants during hospitalization and after discharge and breastfeeding rates were comparatively analyzed between two groups. T test, Chi-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used for statistical analysis. Results (1) There were 380 gravidas received questionnaires. Among them, 346 (91.1%) completed questionnaires and were recruited in this study. Only 31.8% (110/346) of these gravidas were active in learning more about breastfeeding and 46.2% (160/346) of them lacked in breastfeeding after appearance of preterm delivery signs. There were significant improvements in their attitudes towards considering breastfeeding seriously and discussing with their family, confidence in breastfeeding, the importance of colostrum and how to breastfeed a preterm infant in hospital after maternal prenatal education (all P 0.05). Proportions of breast milk intake (breast milk intake over total dairy intake) in preterm infants were higher in education group than those in non-education group within 5 d after birth [0.0 (0.0-16.5)% vs 0.0 (0.0-2.5)%, Z=-3.422], >5-≤7 d [33.7 (0.0-82.8)% vs 0.0 (0.0-50.3)%, Z=-3.070], >7-≤14 d [75.2(23.5-96.4)% vs 47.6(0.0-92.2)%, Z=-2.345] and during hospitalization [58.4 (21.0-78.8)% vs 31.9 (0.0-71.7)%, Z=-3.902] (all P<0.05). Breastfeeding rates were higher in education group than those in non-education group at age of 5 d [47.2% (59/125) vs 27.1% (46/170), χ2=12.747], 7 d [70.4% (88/125) vs 51.2% (87/170), χ2=11.031], three months [83.3% (65/78) vs 56.1% (60/107), χ2=15.297] and six months [64.5% (49/76) vs 49.1% (53/108), χ2=4.282] (all P<0.05). Exclusive breastfeeding rates in first, third and sixth months after birth were higher in education group [45.7% (53/116), 42.3% (33/78) and 36.9% (28/76)] than those in non-education group [21.3% (32/150), 28.0% (30/107) and 22.2% (24/108)] (χ2=17.847, 4.091 and 4.703, all P<0.05), respectively. Conclusions Most gravidas with risk factors of preterm delivery have no on breastfeeding. Prenatal maternal education is an effective and feasible intervention to improve breastfeeding rate for preterm infants in NICU from early hospitalization till six months after birth. Key words: Breast feeding; Infant, premature; Pregnant women; Patient Education; Intensive care units, neonatal

Breastfeeding Evaluation Indicators System is a Promising Evaluation Tool for Preterm Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU)

BackgroundBreast feeding can enhance preterm infants’ neurodevelopmental outcome, regulate immune function development. This study aims to develop breastfeeding evaluation indicators system in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and to provide theoretical basis for all-round evaluation of breast feeding quality for hospitalized preterm infants.Material/MethodsThis study was performed based on Avedis Donabedian’s theory of medical care quality. Preterm infant breast feeding evaluation indicators system frame was initially formed by using literature review, clinical on-spot observation and expert consultation methods. By using specialists meeting method and Delphi method, evaluation indicators system for preterm infants breastfeeding was verified and established. Breastfeeding evaluation indicators system were performed in NICU of hospitals in Binzhou and Shanghai. Feasibility and usability of indicators system were examined.ResultsBreastfeeding evaluation indicators system for preterm infants comprise 3 levels, including level 1 (3 indicators), level 2 (7 indicators), and level 3 (18 indicators). Recognition rates of importance for level 2 and 3 range from 94.4% to 100.0% and 80.6% to 100.0%, respectively. Mean of Likert rating for level 2 and 3 range from 3.31 to 3.89 and 3.03 to 3.97, which are all higher than the average value of 2.50. Kendall’s coefficient and its significance test showed that consistency of experts’ opinion for indicators’ importance is high (P<0.001). This strategy of combining qualitative and quantitative methods could be used in overall evaluation of the breastfeeding quality in NICUs.ConclusionsIndicators system is feasible and is a promising evaluation tool for continuously improving breastfeeding quality for preterm infants in NICUs.

Duration and intensity of fluconazole for prophylaxis in preterm neonates: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BackgroundThe currently available evidence shows fluconazole is an effective prophylaxis treatment against invasive fungal infections in preterm neonates in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). However, the duration and dosing of this prophylaxis treatment remain controversial. Thus, a meta-analysis and systematic review are necessary.MethodsPubMed and EMBASE were systematically searched with no restrictions. All relevant citations that compared prophylactic fluconazole and no prophylaxis were considered for inclusion. Pooled effect estimates were obtained through fixed- and random-effects meta-analyses, and a meta-regression was used to explore the sources of heterogeneity in the data.ResultsFive independent randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) involving 1006 preterm neonates were identified. Compared with no prophylaxis, the overall combined relative risks (RRs) of invasive fungal infection with the 28- and 42-day durations of prophylactic fluconazole were 0.80 (95 % CI 0.48–1.35, p = 0.4048) and 0.30 (95 % CI 0.15–0.58, p = 0.0004), respectively. The fluconazole dose had no significant impact on the RR of invasive fungal infections. The RR of mortality presented no significant differences between prophylactic fluconazole and no prophylaxis (RR 0.82, 95 % CI 0.60 to 1.12, p = 0.2093).ConclusionsProphylaxis with fluconazole for 42 days was found to be superior to no prophylaxis as a strategy for preventing invasive fungal infection in preterm infants in NICUs except in terms of mortality. The dosing regimen of prophylactic fluconazole may have no impact on the outcome; however, due to the limitations of the available data, further research is needed.

Mothers singing and speaking to preterm infants in NICU

Preterm infants are at greater risk for long-term morbidities, a problem representing also a growing public health concern. Early experiences can affect infants’ brain development, especially if conducted during critical periods of important growth. Early interventions involving parents in preterm infants care improve developmental outcomes for preterm infants, minimizing also the stress of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) environment. Mother-infant separation and alteration of maternal care soon after birth can lead to a wide array of adverse physiological, emotional and behavioural consequences that can persist throughout life. It’s suggested that Maternal Vocal Intervention (MVI) in NICU, as a specific form of environmental and interactional enrichment, as part of an individualized care and as a tool to involve families in early care of preterm infants, may be adopted by the health community as a standard of care.

Integrated measures for prevention of invasive Candida infections in preterm infants in a Chinese neonatal intensive care unit

The increasing incidence of invasive Candida infections (ICIs) in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Xinhua Hospital aroused our concern. We undertook a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of different preventive measures for ICI in preterm infants. Preterm infants with gestational age (GA) <33 weeks admitted between 2010 and 2013 were divided into 3 groups according to the preventive measures applied in different periods: the control group (CG), fluconazole group (FG), and integrated measures group (IMG). We analyzed the incidence of ICI and distribution of fungal pathogens in these 3 groups, and also evaluated the efficiency of various measures in preventing ICIs in preterm infants. The study sample comprised 261 preterm infants born at <33 weeks GA, including 94 in the CG, 99 in the FG, and 68 in the IMG. The differences among the groups were not significant at baseline. ICI developed in 41 of the 261 infants (15.7%). The incidence of ICI varied significantly among the groups: 22.3% in the CG (21/94), 18.2% in the FG (18/99), and only 2.9% in the IMG (2/68) (P = .003). ICI was less frequent in the IMG compared with the CG (P <.001) and the FG (P = .003). The integrated measures approach is meaningful for the prevention of ICIs in preterm infants in NICUs with many patients but inadequate medical resources in some developing countries.

Related factors of postpartum depression in mothers of preterm infants in neonatal intensive care unit

Objective To assess the prevalence and related factors of postpartum depression in mothers of preterm infants in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods A total of 83 mothers who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were investigated by using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the comprehensive questionnaire for mothers of preterm infants in NICU, and the analysis was performed on SPSS 13.0 using the Spearman correlation analysis and Logistic regression analysis. Results Among the 83 mothers, 38 got the EPDS score of 10 and above, which accounted for 45.78% (38/83). The disease severity (OR = 3.318, P < 0.01), the worry about disease prognosis (OR = 4.348, P <0.01), the worry about mental development of the newborn (OR = 5.420, P < 0.01) were the risk factors for postpartum depression in mothers of preterm infants in NICU. Conclusions It's different from the correlation to postpartum depression in mothers of full-term newborns, the correlation to postpartum depression in mothers of preterm infants in NICU are closely related to premature and admission in NICU. The mothers of preterm infants in NICU are the high -risk population for postpartum depression. Routine screening mechanism for mothers of preterm infants should be established for early detection and treatment of postpartum depression, and to promote maternal and infant health. Key words: Intensive care units, neonatal; Depression, postpartum; Prematurity

Relationships Between Environmental Stressors and Stress Biobehavioral Responses of Preterm Infants in NICU

Although research has demonstrated that the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a stressful environment for preterm and high-risk infants, little research validates the suspected relationships between infant biobehavioral responses and environmental stress in the NICU. This exploratory study examined the relationship between environmental stress and biobehavioral responses of preterm infants. The study used a repeated-measures research design to examine research variables in one group of preterm infants. Measurements of research variables were recorded every 2 minutes during two 60-minute observation periods for each research day (1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon) and conducted over 2 days. A convenience sample of 37 preterm infants was recruited from 2 medical centers in Taiwan. A total of 4164 observations were made and recorded during the study. There was a statistically significant (P < .05) relationship between environmental stressors and changes in physiological signals. There were also statistically significant (P < .05) relationships between environmental stress and some specific stress behaviors. This research is applicable to neonatal clinical practice because it demonstrates the importance of recognizing the preterm infant's biological stress responses to environmental stressors, allowing for early interventions to reduce the possibility of more serious physiological or pathological changes in the status of the preterm infant.

The Effects of Massage on apnea and feeding intolerance Hospitalized Preterm Infants in NICU

Background: Iran is one of the regions with high incidence of premature births, accounting for 10% of newborns. An important factor for the survival chance of the neonate is age. Aim: This study investigated the effect of massage on premature infant’s complications in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad. Methods: This study was conducted on 60 stable preterm newborns. Intervention was included passive massage movements on members and a daily intervention for three periods of fifteen minutes in 3 hours until 5 days. 30 newborns in an intervention group (mean gestational age of 32.8 weeks and mean birth weight of 1525.5gm g) were compared with 30 newborns in the control group (mean gestational age of 31.6 weeks and mean birth weight 1321 gm). Results: The study showed that the apnea and feeding intolerance in experimental group was significantly less than the control group P≥ 0/001. Conclusion: Our findings show that massage is an effective method for reducing the complications in stable premature.

The effectiveness of music on pain among preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: a systematic review.

Review question/objective The objective of this review is to synthesize the best available evidence related to the effectiveness of music as pain relieving method among preterm infants during painful procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit. Review questions are: Among preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, is music effective in reducing - pain scores? - physiological pain indicators? - behavioural pain indicators? - hormonal pain indicators? Inclusion criteria Types of participants This review will consider studies that include preterm infants (i.e. born at or before 37 gestational weeks) in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) Types of intervention(s) This review will consider studies that evaluate any type of music (recorded or lived music), which is implemented for premature infants by a music therapist or any health care providers during painful procedures. Comparator No music intervention (the infant will receive the usual care based on the routine practices in the unit) Types of outcomes This review will consider studies that include the following outcome measures: level of pain measured by pain scores and/ or physiological (e.g. hearth rate, blood pressure, respiration, oxygen saturation), behavioural (e.g. cry, facial expression, movements, sleep-wake state) and hormonal (e.g. blood glucose, cortisol level, catecholamine acids) pain indicators.

O Father, Where Art Thou?

To study the frequency and duration of parental visits to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) during the first 28 days of life of preterm infants in relation to medical variables, sociodemographic factors, and subsequent outpatient follow-up examinations. Retrospective chart review of 127 infants with a birth weight less than 1500 g born between Jan 1, 2009, and Dec 31, 2009, at 2 tertiary NICUs. The average frequency of parental visits during the first 28 days of life declined significantly over time (P < .05) while the duration of visits remained constant. Average frequency and duration of visits per day were consistently lower in fathers than in mothers (median [interquartile range]: 0.6 [0.4-1.0] per day vs 1.1 [0.9-1.4] per day, 72.5 [32.1-108.9 [min/d vs 133.4 [75.4-174.3] min/d). While a history of treatment for infertility was correlated with significantly more frequent and longer parental NICU visits in the first 2 weeks, having older children at home was correlated with shorter visits during the first week. Visiting patterns showed no relation to attendance at follow-up examinations at 6 months corrected age. Mothers spend more time with their preterm infants in NICUs than fathers. We suggest measures to increase paternal involvement with hospitalized preterm infants.