"Liquid Gold" Lactation Bundle and Breastfeeding Rates in Racially Diverse Mothers of Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants.

In 2015, we implemented a comprehensive lactation bundle named Liquid Gold. Lactation bundles in the neonatal intensive care unit have not been well studied. This is an ongoing quality improvement breastfeeding project of racially diverse mothers and infants of extremely low birth weight (≤1,000 g).

Effect of ventilator modes on neonatal cerebral and peripheral oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy.

Aim: The effect of ventilator modes on regional tissue oxygenation in premature neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) has yet to be delineated. Previous studies have looked at global oxygen delivery and have not assessed the effects on regional tissue oxygenation. Our aim in this study was to assess such tissue oxygenation in premature babies with RDS in relation to differing modes of ventilation using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).

A New Scoring System for the Assessment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the concordance of a new scoring system for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and NAS scores to the traditional Modified Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring Tool (M-FNAST) score. The NAS score is based on the physiology of withdrawal, with equal emphasis on behavior, and neurological signs.

Study Design: The NAS scores for a control group of 202 healthy, term neonates were compared with those for 45 term neonates with NAS.

Bacterial Content of Fortified and Unfortified Holder Pasteurized Donor Human Milk During Prolonged Refrigerated Storage.

Objective: To assess the microbial growth in unfortified and fortified Holder pasteurized donor human milk (HPDHM) during 96 hours of refrigerated storage in a clinical setting.

Methods: Thirty-six unfortified samples and 77 fortified samples of HPDHM were prepared in a neonatal intensive care milk preparation room and stored in the NICU refrigerator at 4°C to simulate a real-life feeding environment. One milliliter aliquots were removed at 24-hour intervals and cultured in duplicate for bacterial growth on solid blood agar medium.

Morbidity and mortality associated with rewarming hypothermic very low birth weight infants.

Objectives: In very low birthweight (VLBW) infants, hypothermia is associated with poor outcomes. The goal of this study is to assess the relationship between the rate of rewarming these babies and their outcomes.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 98 inborn VLBW infants who were hypothermic (<36°C rectally) upon admission to the NICU.

Using a novel laminar flow unit provided effective total body hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic encephalopathy.

Aim: This was a clinical observational trial on a laminar flow device that provides total body hypothermia for infants with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Methods: We enrolled infants born at up to 35 weeks of gestation, who presented with HIE within six hours of birth. Total body cooling was achieved using the neonatal laminar flow unit for 72 hours, with continuous rectal temperature servo control, isolation and humidification.

The impact of a hospital-based educational video on maternal perceptions and planned practices of infant safe sleep.

Purpose: To evaluate whether an educational video would impact infant sleep practices among new mothers.

Design And Methods: Survey responses of new mothers who did (n = 43) versus did not (n = 49) watch the educational video were compared to identify differences in observed and planned infant sleep practices.

Results: Mothers who watched the video were more likely to observe safe sleep practices while in the hospital (67.

Sojourn in excessively high oxygen saturation ranges in individual, very low-birthweight neonates.

Aim: To investigate the variability in sojourn times at high oxygen saturations (SpO2 ) in individual patients and to examine whether there are subsets of patients or treatments that are associated with differing sojourn times at SpO2 ≥93%.

Methods: Pulse oximetry data (Masimo) were studied in 71 premature babies receiving supplemental oxygen. Outcome measure was proportion of time per 12-h shift that individual babies spent in the range SpO2 ≥93%.

Stability of thyroid hormones during continuous infusion.

We investigated the stability of thyroid hormones during a mode of continuous drug infusion via polypropylene tubing using the same conditions that would be applied to treating patients in a hospital setting. The diluted thyroid hormones were prepared using aseptic technique, stored at 2-8°C (36-46°F) and tested within 24 h of preparation for stability and percent recovery from within plastic tubing. Experiments were done in duplicate with triplicate sets of readings for each assay point.

Transfusion-related acute gut injury: necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight neonates after packed red blood cell transfusion.

Objective: This is a repeat cohort study in which we sought to determine whether an association of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) <48 hours of a packed red blood cells (PRBC) transfusion was a prior sampling artifact.

Study Design: All very low birth weight neonates with NEC Stage ≥ IIB admitted over an 18-month period were categorized for NEC: (1) <48 hours after a PRBC transfusion; (2) unrelated to the timing of PRBCs; and (3) never transfused.

Results: Eight hundred eighty-three admissions over 18 months were reviewed; 256 were very low birth weight that resulted in 36 NEC cases and 25% were associated with PRBC (n = 9).