Rates Of Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage Research Articles

Umbilical Cord Milking Versus Delayed Cord Clamping in Infants 28 to 32 Weeks: A Randomized Trial.

To determine whether rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) or death among preterm infants receiving placental transfusion with UCM is noninferior to delayed cord clamping (DCC). Noninferiority randomized controlled trial comparing UCM versus DCC in preterm infants born 28 to 32 weeks recruited between June 2017 through September 2022 from 19 university and private medical centers in 4 countries. The primary outcome was Grade III/IV IVH or death evaluated at a 1% noninferiority margin. Among 1019 infants (UCM n = 511 and DCC n = 508), all completed the trial from birth through initial hospitalization (mean gestational age 31 weeks, 44% female). For the primary outcome, 7 of 511 (1.4%) infants randomized to UCM developed severe IVH or died compared to 7 of 508 (1.4%) infants randomized to DCC (rate difference 0.01%, 95% confidence interval: (-1.4% to 1.4%), P = .99). In this randomized controlled trial of UCM versus DCC among preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks' gestation, there was no difference in the rates of severe IVH or death. UCM may be a safe alternative to DCC in premature infants born at 28 to 32 weeks who require resuscitation.

Association of umbilical venous catheters vs peripherally inserted central catheters with death or severe intraventricular hemorrhage among preterm infants 

Umbilical venous catheters (UVCs) or peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are routinely inserted in preterm infants for total parenteral nutrition and medications. We aimed to examine whether the rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) or death vary among preterm infants receiving UVCs compared to PICCs. This randomized controlled trial included preterm infants <  30 weeks gestation assigned after birth to either UVC placement group or PICC group. A total of 233 preterm infants (117 infants in UVC group, 116 infants in PICC group) were randomized and collected data was available for intention-to-treat analysis. There were no differences in baseline population characteristics. Severe IVH occurred in 16 infants (13.6%) in the UVC group and 11(9.5%) in the PICC group (risk difference [RD], 4.1% [5% CI, -4 to 12.3]; P = 0.42). The incidence of death before 28 days of life did not differ significantly between groups (10 [8.5% ] in UVC vs 6 [5.1%] in PICC; RD, 3.4% [95% CI, -3.0 to 9.84]; P = 0.44). Seventeen percent (20/117) of the UVC group died or developed severe IVH compared with 12% (14/116) of the PICC group (risk difference, 5% [95% CI, -4.01 -14.06]; P = 0.36). The incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was significantly higher in the UVC group infants than in the PICC group infants (7.7% vs. 1.7%); p = 0.03. The incidence of severe IVH or death did not differ significantly among preterm m infants <  30 weeks gestation subjected to UVC or PICC placement. Early inotropic support was a significant risk factor for the development of severe IVH. UVC maybe an additional risk factor for the development of NEC, but further research is required to validate this finding.

Impact of Early Hemodynamic Screening on Extremely Preterm Outcomes in a High-Performance Center.

Rationale: Increasing survival of extremely preterm infants with a stable rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage represents a growing health risk for neonates. Objectives: To evaluate the role of early hemodynamic screening (HS) on the risk of death or severe intraventricular hemorrhage. Methods: All eligible patients 22-26+6 weeks' gestation born and/or admitted <24 hours postnatal age were included. As compared with standard neonatal care for control subjects (January 2010-December 2017), patients admitted in the second epoch (October 2018-April 2022) were exposed to HS using targeted neonatal echocardiography at 12-18 hours. Measurements and Main Results: A primary composite outcome of death or severe intraventricular hemorrhage was decided a priori using a 10% reduction in baseline rate to calculate sample size. A total of 423 control subjects and 191 screening patients were recruited with a mean gestation and birth weight of 24.7 ± 1.5 weeks and 699 ± 191 g, respectively. Infants born at 22-23 weeks represented 41% (n = 78) of the HS epoch versus 32% (n = 137) of the control subjects (P = 0.004). An increase in perinatal optimization (e.g., antepartum steroids) but with a decline in maternal health (e.g., increased obesity) was seen in the HS versus control epoch. A reduction in the primary outcome and each of severe intraventricular hemorrhage, death, death in the first postnatal week, necrotizing enterocolitis, and severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia was seen in the screening era. After adjustment for perinatal confounders and time, screening was independently associated with survival free of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (OR 2.09, 95% CI [1.19, 3.66]). Conclusions: Early HS and physiology-guided care may be an avenue to further improve neonatal outcomes; further evaluation is warranted.

Feasibility and Impact of a Pilot Neonatal Cuddler Program on Preterm Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Preterm infants experience daily stress in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Positive sensory experiences mitigate stress responses, but parental participation can be limited by external pressures. This study aimed to describe the impact of a neonatal cuddler program (NCP) on preterm infants' growth. A multidisciplinary program trained volunteers to interact with NICU infants when family was not at bedside. Infants were followed prospectively throughout admission. Intervention data included frequency, type, and duration of activity throughout the study period. Student t-test and chi-square test were used to analyze the impact of volunteer interaction on anthropometric measures at discharge. Forty-five infants interacted with a volunteer (intervention group, n = 45) compared with the control group (n = 56) following coronavirus disease 2019 restrictions. The median (range) time of interaction with a volunteer in the intervention group was 90.0 (5.0-705.0) minutes per infant. Infants in the two groups had similar gestational ages, birth weights, lengths, and occipitofrontal circumferences (OFC). Infants in the intervention group had higher rates of spontaneous intestinal perforation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and reached full enteral feeds later. However, rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, and duration of mechanical ventilation were similar. Infants in the two groups did not differ in the NICU length of stay. At discharge, infants in the intervention group weighed more (p = 0.04) and had higher OFC's (p = 0.01) and OFC z-scores (p = 0.03). The change in z-scores from birth to discharge was significant for the weight (p = 0.02) but not length or OFC. In regression analyses, only group allocation was identified as a significant factor for OFC z-scores at discharge (β= 0.279, p = 0.011) and for change in weight z-scores from birth to discharge (β = 0.226, p = 0.041). Growth is positively impacted by an NCP despite limited interaction. Additional work is needed to demonstrate the impact on neurobehavioral and developmental outcomes. · Establishing and implementing a neonatal cuddler program in a large, level IV NICU is feasible.. · Neonatal cuddler programs can provide positive sensory experiences when parents are not at bedside.. · Even limited exposure to these positive sensory experiences can positively impact growth parameters for preterm infants..

[Influence of umbilical cord milking versus delayed cord clamping on the early prognosis of preterm infants with a gestational age of

To study the influence of umbilical cord milking versus delayed cord clamping on the early prognosis of preterm infants with a gestational age of <34 weeks. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, Weipu Database, and SinoMed were searched for randomized controlled trials on umbilical cord milking versus delayed cord clamping in preterm infants with a gestational age of <34 weeks published up to November 2021. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, two researchers independently performed literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction. Review Manger 5.4 was used for Meta analysis. A total of 11 articles were included in the analysis, with 1 621 preterm infants in total, among whom there were 809 infants in the umbilical cord milking group and 812 in the delayed cord clamping group. The Meta analysis showed that compared with delayed cord clamping, umbilical cord milking increased the mean blood pressure after birth (weighted mean difference=3.61, 95%CI: 0.73-6.50, P=0.01), but it also increased the incidence rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (RR=1.83, 95%CI: 1.08-3.09, P=0.02). There were no significant differences between the two groups in hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood transfusion rate, proportion of infants undergoing phototherapy, bilirubin peak, and incidence rates of complications such as periventricular leukomalacia and necrotizing enterocolitis (P>0.05). Compared with delayed cord clamping, umbilical cord milking may increase the risk of severe intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants with a gestational age of <34 weeks; however, more high-quality large-sample randomized controlled trials are needed for further confirmation.

Reduction of Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Preterm Infants: A Quality Improvement Project.

The aim of this quality improvement project was to reduce the rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (sIVH) by 50% within 3 years for extremely preterm infants born at a children's teaching hospital. A multidisciplinary team developed key drivers for the development of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants. Targeted interventions included the development of potentially better practice guidelines, promoting early noninvasive ventilation, consistent use of rescue antenatal betamethasone, and risk-based indomethacin prophylaxis. The outcome measure was the rate of sIVH. Process measures included the rate of intubation within 24 hours and receipt of rescue betamethasone and risk-based indomethacin prophylaxis. Common markers of morbidity were balancing measures. Data were collected from a quarterly chart review and analyzed with statistical process control charts. The preintervention period was from January 2012 to March 2016, implementation period was from April 2016 to December 2018, and sustainment period was through June 2020. During the study period, there were 268 inborn neonates born at <28 weeks' gestation or <1000 g (127 preintervention and 141 postintervention). The rate of sIVH decreased from 14% to 1.2%, with sustained improvement over 2 and a half years. Mortality also decreased by 50% during the same time period. This was associated with adherence to process measures and no change in balancing measures. A multipronged quality improvement approach to intraventricular hemorrhage prevention, including evidence-based practice guidelines, consistent receipt of rescue betamethasone and indomethacin prophylaxis, and decreasing early intubation was associated with a sustained reduction in sIVH in extremely preterm infants.

Increasing Early Skin-to-Skin in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

Early skin-to-skin care (SSC) has been shown to improve outcomes after preterm birth, including improved clinical stability and establishment of breastfeeding. Recent evidence suggests the most unstable infants get the most benefit, yet these infants are not consistently offered opportunities for SSC because of safety concerns and discomfort of the care team. To identify barriers and implement a multidimensional approach to increase SSC within the first 72 hours of life among infants born less than 28 weeks' gestation and less than 1,000 g in a Level IV university-based regional intensive care nursery. Using Institute of Healthcare Improvement quality improvement methodology, a multidisciplinary team identified barriers to SSC and developed targeted interventions, including a unit-specific protocol; widespread parent, staff, and provider education; and an infant readiness checklist. The primary outcome was the rate of SSC within 72 hours. The balancing measure was the rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Data were collected from monthly chart review and analyzed with statistical process control charts. The aim was to increase SSC within 72 hours of birth from 7 percent to greater than 80 percent within 12 months for infants born less than 28 weeks' gestation or less than 1,000 g. Between June 2017 and December 2019, there were 52 extremely preterm infants included in the project (15 preintervention and 37 postintervention). The rate of SSC within the first 72 hours increased from 7 to 84 percent. There has been no increase in any or severe IVH during the project period despite the increased rate of SSC. Implementation of multidimensional, multidisciplinary interventions for reducing barriers to early SSC in extremely preterm infants resulted in rapid adoption of SSC in the first 72 hours of life without increasing severe IVH in this high-risk population.

Association of Umbilical Cord Milking vs Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping With Death or Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage Among Preterm Infants

Umbilical cord milking as an alternative to delayed umbilical cord clamping may provide equivalent benefits to preterm infants, but without delaying resuscitation. To determine whether the rates of death or severe intraventricular hemorrhage differ among preterm infants receiving placental transfusion with umbilical cord milking vs delayed umbilical cord clamping. Noninferiority randomized clinical trial of preterm infants (born at 23-31 weeks' gestation) from 9 university and private medical centers in 4 countries were recruited and enrolled between June 2017 and September 2018. Planned enrollment was 750 per group. However, a safety signal comprising an imbalance in the number of severe intraventricular hemorrhage events by study group was observed at the first interim analysis; enrollment was stopped based on recommendations from the data and safety monitoring board. The planned noninferiority analysis could not be conducted and a post hoc comparison was performed instead. Final date of follow-up was December 2018. Participants were randomized to umbilical cord milking (n = 236) or delayed umbilical cord clamping (n = 238). The primary outcome was a composite of death or severe intraventricular hemorrhage to determine noninferiority of umbilical cord milking with a 1% noninferiority margin. Among 540 infants randomized, 474 (88%) were enrolled and completed the trial (mean gestational age of 28 weeks; 46% female). Twelve percent (29/236) of the umbilical cord milking group died or developed severe intraventricular hemorrhage compared with 8% (20/238) of the delayed umbilical cord clamping group (risk difference, 4% [95% CI, -2% to 9%]; P = .16). Although there was no statistically significant difference in death, severe intraventricular hemorrhage was statistically significantly higher in the umbilical cord milking group than in the delayed umbilical cord clamping group (8% [20/236] vs 3% [8/238], respectively; risk difference, 5% [95% CI, 1% to 9%]; P = .02). The test for interaction between gestational age strata and treatment group was significant for severe intraventricular hemorrhage only (P = .003); among infants born at 23 to 27 weeks' gestation, severe intraventricular hemorrhage was statistically significantly higher with umbilical cord milking than with delayed umbilical cord clamping (22% [20/93] vs 6% [5/89], respectively; risk difference, 16% [95% CI, 6% to 26%]; P = .002). In this post hoc analysis of a prematurely terminated randomized clinical trial of umbilical cord milking vs delayed umbilical cord clamping among preterm infants born at less than 32 weeks' gestation, there was no statistically significant difference in the rate of a composite outcome of death or severe intraventricular hemorrhage, but there was a statistically significantly higher rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage in the umbilical cord milking group. The early study termination and resulting post hoc nature of the analyses preclude definitive conclusions. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03019367.

Reduced Prevalence of Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Very Preterm Infants Delivered after Maternal Preeclampsia

Background: Very preterm (VPT) delivery after severe preeclampsia (PE) has been associated with adverse perinatal outcome. It is unclear whether fetal exposure to PE per se modifies the prevalence of neonatal morbidities associated with VPT birth. Objectives: To evaluate neonatal morbidity in VPT infants exposed to maternal PE compared to morbidity in nonexposed VPT infants. Methods: This retrospective study consisted of all inborn infants delivered before 30 gestational weeks admitted to a tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit between 1998 and 2014: 195 infants exposed to maternal PE were compared to 957 infants without maternal PE (background group). Prevalence rates of neonatal morbidity, cerebral palsy (CP), and mortality at 2 years of age were obtained from patient records. Results: The PE group had a lower median (IQR) birth weight (795 [262] g) and a higher median gestational age (GA) (27 [3] weeks) at birth than the background group (890 [385] g and 26 [3] weeks, respectively; both p < 0.001). Exposure to maternal PE was associated with lower rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (2 vs. 11%), retinopathy of prematurity requiring treatment (2 vs. 7%), mortality (9 vs. 15%), and CP (4 vs. 8%). Exposure to PE remained associated with a reduced prevalence of severe IVH (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.05–0.57) after adjustment for GA, multiple birth, Apgar score, delivery mode, sex, and antenatal steroid treatment. Conclusion: Fetal exposure to PE is associated with a decreased rate of severe IVH following VPT birth. Studies on underlying mechanisms may provide a basis for prevention of IVH in the VPT infant.

Quality improvement to reduce chronic lung disease rates in very-low birth weight infants: high compliance with a respiratory care bundle in a small NICU.

Reduce chronic lung disease by 10% among very-low birth weight infants by implementing a consistent respiratory care bundle. Prospective quality improvement study of infants below 32 weeks gestation in a small neonatal intensive care unit. A respiratory care bundle to eliminate inter-provider variability and minimize use of mechanical ventilation was implemented. This included: defining delivery room management with use of continuous positive airway pressure/nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation, uniform intubation/extubation criteria, and standardizing ventilation/post-extubation support. A total of 107 very-low birth weight infants were included in this project. Compliance with the respiratory care bundle was >90%. Chronic lung disease rates at 36 weeks postmenstrual age fell from 43 to 12% (P = 0.0006), rates of combined chronic lung disease/death decreased from 50 to 20% (P = 0.002, OR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.1-0.6), rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage decreased from 13 to 0% (P = 0.005), and surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus decreased from 35 to 3% (P < 0.0001). High compliance with the respiratory care bundle was achieved and a 73% reduction in chronic lung disease rates in very-low birth weight infants occurred.

Acidemia versus Hypercapnia and Risk for Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage

In extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, levels of hypercapnia (Paco 2) > 60 mm Hg are considered a risk factor for severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Since cerebral vasoreactivity depends on arterial pH (apH) rather than Paco 2, we hypothesize that the role of mild-to-moderate hypercapnia (45-60 mm Hg) in the occurrence of severe IVH is modulated by the metabolic component of acid-base status. ELBW infants (n = 580, born < 28 wk gestation, and BW < 1,000 g) were separated into "high-base deficit (BD)" (n = 291) and "low-BD" (n = 289) groups if infants' median BD were > 4 mEq/L or ≤4 mEq/L, respectively. Rates of severe IVH were higher in "high-BD" (16%) than "low-BD" (9%) group. Although adjusted risk for severe IVH increased with higher Paco 2 and higher BD, apH was the sole predictor of severe IVH. In ELBW infants, higher degree of acidemia, rather than hypercapnia per se, during the first 48 hours of life, is associated with higher occurrences of severe IVH.

Delivery Mode and Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Single, Very Low Birth Weight, Vertex Infants

To investigate the association between delivery mode and grade 3-4 intraventricular hemorrhage in singleton, vertex presenting, very low birth weight (VLBW) (1,500 g or less) liveborn infants. The Israel National VLBW Infant Database includes perinatal and neonatal data on greater than 99% of all VLBW newborns. A total of 4,658 singleton vertex-presenting infants born at 24-34 weeks were included (1995-2004). Infants with lethal congenital malformations, delivery room deaths, and home deliveries were excluded. Our population-based observational study evaluated the effect of delivery mode and confounding variables on severe intraventricular hemorrhage using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. The rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage was 10.4%. Cesarean delivery rate was 54.3%. The rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage was 7.7% for infants delivered by cesarean compared with 13.6% in vaginal delivery (P<.001). However, analysis according to gestational age showed that the rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage was similar in cesarean and vaginal delivery in all gestational age groups. In the multivariable model, cesarean delivery had no effect on the odds for severe intraventricular hemorrhage (odds ratio [OR] 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-1.24). Other factors independently associated with severe intraventricular hemorrhage included gestational age (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.68-0.75 for each week increase), maternal hypertensive disorder (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30-0.61), no antenatal steroids (OR 2.70, 95% CI 2.12-3.45), 1-minute Apgar score 0-3 (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.33-2.21), delivery room resuscitation (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.65-2.83), and non-Jewish ethnicity (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.03-1.59). In this population-based study, the odds for severe intraventricular hemorrhage were not influenced by mode of delivery in vertex-presenting singleton VLBW infants after controlling for gestational age. II.

Randomized Trial of a Single Repeat Dose of Prenatal Betamethasone Treatment in Imminent Preterm Birth

Morbidity in preterm infants is reduced by a single course of corticosteroid treatment, administered prenatally. This randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled study was designed to show whether a single additional dose of 12-mg betamethasone, given with preterm birth imminent before 34 weeks' gestation and at least a week after the full treatment course, would further lower the risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and severe (grade 3 or 4) intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). The initial course of therapy consisted of two 12-mg doses of betamethasone. Of 249 mothers enrolled in the study before it was discontinued, 125 were randomized to an additional 12-mg dose of betamethasone and 124 to placebo. All 159 infants born to actively treated mothers and all 167 whose mothers received placebo were born before 36 weeks' gestation. The mean gestational ages at delivery were 30.7 and 31.0 weeks, respectively. Additional steroid treatment did not influence the intact survival rate. In fact, the rate was lower than expected because the incidence of RDS, adjusted for gestational age, was higher than that in the general population. More infants in the steroid group required surfactant therapy. Posthoc analysis of data on 206 infants who were delivered within 1 to 24 hours indicated that the additional steroid dose tended to increase the risk of RDS and reduce the rate of intact survival. No differences were found between the steroid and placebo groups in mortality rates or rates of severe IVH. Six of the 11 infants who died were multiple births, and four of these were cases of twin-to-twin transfusion. Rather than augmenting the benefit of initial steroid therapy when preterm birth is imminent, an additional dose of steroid-administered just before preterm birth-may compromise respiratory adaptation. The findings of this study dictate caution in the use of repeat glucocorticoid therapy in high-risk pregnancies.

Cranial ultrasounds: Are they reliable?

Most newborn intensive care unit centers perform serial cranial ultrasound evaluations early in the course of hospitalization for premature infants and often a follow–up examination is done at 4-6 weeks of age. These evaluations are done to document the presence of intracranial hemorrhage, to guide choice of therapies that may exacerbate risk of further hemorrhage, and to counsel families about neurodevelopmental outcomes. These data are also often used for benchmark comparisons. There have been few studies that investigated the reliability or accuracy of these findings, and yet randomized controlled trials in neonatal patients and interventional studies frequently include presence and degree of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in their outcome data. Hintz et al describe the interobserver reliability and accuracy of the interpretation of cranial ultrasounds in premature infants. The authors took advantage of a large collection of ultrasound examinations performed as part of the NICHD Neonatal Network’s trial on the safety of inhaled nitric oxide. This was an important outcome variable because early case reports had suggested a potential risk of IVH; however, the trial found no differences in the rates of severe IVH or periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) between treated infants and controls. Scans were read by central readers who were board-certified radiologists and employed a structured data instrument. The study demonstrated a high degree of agreement between “local readers” and the central “experts.” This agreement was best for Grades 3 and 4 IVH, less so for periventricular leukomalacia, and poor for milder degrees of IVH. These observations are reassuring but also raise a note of caution. There is a strong association between severe degrees of IVH and poor neurodevelopmental outcome. The strength of those associations is less for milder degrees of bleeding. Given the differences in interpretation between the experts and the home-based readers for milder degrees of IVH, care should be exercised by clinicians in counseling families regarding the association between cranial ultrasound findings and neurodevelopmental prognosis. The study also raises a note of caution for investigators who use cranial ultrasound findings as a study outcome. Future designs should employ strategies to confirm the reliability of the ultrasound findings. Likewise, additional data of this kind on inter-observer reliability of intracranial pathology from computerized tomography or MRI evaluations is needed. All that said, our understanding of the reliability of cranial ultrasound examinations is advanced by this report. Interobserver Reliability and Accuracy of Cranial Ultrasound Scanning Interpretation in Premature InfantsThe Journal of PediatricsVol. 150Issue 6PreviewTo assess interobserver reliability between 2 central readers of cranial ultrasound scanning (CUS) and accuracy of local, compared with central, interpretations. Full-Text PDF

Neuromotor Outcome at 2 Years of Very Preterm Infants Who Were Treated With High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation or Conventional Ventilation for Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome

In a previous multicenter, randomized trial, elective use of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation was compared with the use of conventional ventilation in the management of respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants <30 weeks. No difference in terms of respiratory outcome was observed, but concerns were raised about an increased rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage in the high-frequency ventilation group. To evaluate outcome, a follow-up study was conducted until a corrected age of 2 years. We report the results concerning neuromotor outcome. Outcome was able to be evaluated in 192 of the 212 infants who survived until discharge from the neonatal unit: 97 of 105 infants of the high-frequency group and 95 of 104 infants of the conventional ventilation group. In the infants reviewed, mean birth weight and gestational age were similar in the 2 ventilation groups. As in the overall study population, the following differences were observed between the high-frequency ventilation group and the conventional ventilation group: lower 5-minute Apgar score, fewer surfactant instillations, and a higher incidence of severe intraventricular hemorrhage. At a corrected age of 2 years, 93 of the 97 infants of the high-frequency group and 79 of the 95 infants of the conventional ventilation group did not present any neuromotor disability, whereas 4 infants of the high-frequency group and 16 infants of the conventional ventilation group had cerebral palsy. Contrary to our initial concern about the increased rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage in the high-frequency ventilation group, these data suggest that early use of high-frequency ventilation, compared with conventional ventilation, may be associated with a better neuromotor outcome. Because of the small number of patients studied and the absence of any explanation for this finding, we can conclude only that high-frequency oscillatory ventilation is not associated with a poorer neuromotor outcome.

Combining Phenobarbital and Indomethacin to Improve Early Neonatal Outcomes in the Extremely Low Birth Weight Infant

In this retrospective study, we tested the following hypotheses: rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (SIVH) and early neonatal survival are similar among extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants treated with combination prophylaxis of phenobarbital and indomethacin compared with phenobarbital alone or no prophylaxis; and rates of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are similar among indomethacin-exposed and nonexposed ELBW infants. Data were abstracted on 265 ELBW infants admitted into a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit from 1994 through 2002. Combination prophylaxis neither reduced the odds ratio (OR) of SIVH (OR = 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43 to 1.16) versus phenobarbital (OR = 2.91; 95% CI, 0.91 to 9.27 versus none (OR = 1; 95% CI, reference) nor increased the odds of early neonatal survival (OR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.17 to 3.09 for combination prophylaxis versus OR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.16 to 2.67 for phenobarbital versus OR = 1; 95% CI, reference for none). Indomethacin exposure reduced the odds of PDA (OR = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.75) without increasing the risk of NEC (OR = 1.37; 95% CI, 0.60 to 3.12). In conclusion, combination prophylaxis does not improve SIVH and early neonatal survival outcomes. Early exposure to indomethacin offers some benefits without any added risks.

The Effect of Transport on the Rate of Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

In Brief Objective To determine the incidence of grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born at level I hospitals and transported to one tertiary center compared with those delivered at the same level III facility. Methods We evaluated all newborns admitted to a large tertiary neonatal intensive care unit from June 1, 1992, through December 31, 1995. All live born infants with birth weights of 500–1200 g and at least 24 weeks' gestation were included. Neonatal transports within 24 hours of delivery from 11 level I facilities were compared with those delivered at the same level III center with respect to grade III and IV intraventricular hemorrhage. Various antenatal and neonatal data were collected. Results Thirty-seven newborns (11%) experienced grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhages among 329 who met study criteria. There were 27 cases (9%) in the 285 inborn neonates compared with 10 of 44 outborn cases (23%) (P < .02, 95% confidence interval 0.15, 0.87). The mean gestational age of the neonates with grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhages was significantly lower in the inborn group, which further emphasizes the finding. No other study factors explained the difference. Conclusion We found a higher risk for grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage developing in VLBW infants born at level I hospitals and transported to the tertiary care center compared with those born at the level III facility. This data should be considered when analyzing the potential effects of perinatal deregionalization. Severe intraventricular hemorrhage in very low birth weight infants is less frequent in deliveries in a tertiary center.

The effect of transport on the rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage in very low birth weight infants

Objective: To determine the incidence of grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born at level I hospitals and transported to one tertiary center compared with those delivered at the same level III facility. Methods: We evaluated all newborns admitted to a large tertiary neonatal intensive care unit from June 1, 1992, through December 31, 1995. All live born infants with birth weights of 500–1200 g and at least 24 weeks’ gestation were included. Neonatal transports within 24 hours of delivery from 11 level I facilities were compared with those delivered at the same level III center with respect to grade III and IV intraventricular hemorrhage. Various antenatal and neonatal data were collected. Results: Thirty-seven newborns (11%) experienced grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhages among 329 who met study criteria. There were 27 cases (9%) in the 285 inborn neonates compared with 10 of 44 outborn cases (23%) ( P < .02, 95% confidence interval 0.15, 0.87). The mean gestational age of the neonates with grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhages was significantly lower in the inborn group, which further emphasizes the finding. No other study factors explained the difference. Conclusion: We found a higher risk for grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage developing in VLBW infants born at level I hospitals and transported to the tertiary care center compared with those born at the level III facility. This data should be considered when analyzing the potential effects of perinatal deregionalization.

Differences in morbidity and mortality according to type of referral of very low birthweight infants.

Maternal and social risk, prenatal and obstetric care, resuscitation and neonatal care in very-low-birthweight infants (VLBW) may vary with the type of referral. In 453 VLBW's (< 1500 g) admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit 1987-1992, we classified transport type as: A: No transport (n = 240), B: Maternal transport (n = 88), C: Infant transport (n = 125). Stepwise multiple discriminant function was determined for the identified factors. The risk of mortality was investigated by logistic regression analysis. In group A, mean maternal age was higher and mothers' social status lower than in groups B and C. In group B, infants were considerably smaller and less mature, but when adjusted for gestational age, suffered less frequently from RDS, obviously due to more frequent induction of lung maturation. In group C, less than half of the infants were resuscitated by a neonatologist. Infants of this group were frequently hypothermic at admission and required prolonged artificial ventilation more frequently. Total VLBW survival averaged 77%, increasing from 69 to 88% within the study period. Total rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage was 4.8% in surviving infants. VLBW infants with different forms of referral differ in their inherent risk. After maternal transport they have less morbidity despite a higher grade of immaturity. Regionalization of perinatal care for these infants remains the greatest potential for further reduction in infant mortality.

Survival and morbidity of extremely premature infants based on obstetric assessment of gestational age

To provide current clinical information for obstetric decision-making and perinatal management, we present early morbidity and mortality data for extremely premature infants based on obstetric assessment of gestational age. We reviewed the records of 141 live-born infants with birth weights of 1600 g or lower born at a university hospital level III neonatal intensive care unit between January 1986 and April 1988, whose gestational ages estimated by antenatal obstetric evaluation were between 24-29 completed weeks. Neonatal survival to 30 days ranged from 20% at 24 weeks to 94% at 29 weeks. Chronic lung disease was present at 30 days in all infants born at 24 weeks' gestation, decreasing to 13% of infants born at 29 weeks' gestation. Rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (grade 3 or 4) ranged from 100% at 24 weeks to 7% at 29 weeks. These data represent a significant increase in survival and a decrease in early morbidity compared with those form similar populations before 1986.