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Objective: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is an acute and progressive encephalopathy resulting from perinatal asphyxia. Approximately 15% infants with neonatal HIE die, whereas 25% exhibit subsequent neurological disabilities. In this study, it was intended to compare effects of total body cooling treatment administered for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy on neurological and developmental findings obtained at 18-36 months. Material and Methods: Patients who have been hospitalized between 2013 and 2014 in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and treated total body cooling were included. After discharge, neurological examinations of the patients were evaluated by developmental assessments with “Bayley Scales of Infant Development II” at 18-36 months. Results: Mean MDI score of 17 patients was 90.2±16.3, and mean PDI score was 93.8±17.3. MDI scores were < 70 in 11.8% (n = 2) of all cases, and PDI scores were < 70 in 5.9% (n=1) of all cases. In 5.9% (n=1) of all cases, deafness and cerebral palsy were detected. Developmental disorder were found in 17.6% (n=3) of all cases. Conclusion: The therapeutic hypothermia in newborns decreased mortality in moderate and severe HIE and improved neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18th month. In our study, early neurological and developmental problem rates after therapeutic hypothermia were found similar with the literature. However, long period follow-up is necessary to determine minor disorders in these patients.

Aim:Neonatal bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction can present with a wide spectrum of symptoms from mild neurologic impairment to severe acute bilirubin encephalopathy. In this study, we aimed to determine the risk factors of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia among hospitalized infants with serum total bilirubin levels ≥25 mg/dL and evaluate the effects of high serum bilirubin levels due to hemolysis on neurodevelopmental outcome at postnatal between 18 and 24 months.Materials and Methods:Thirty-six term infants were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to their condition of either hemolytic or nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia. Neurodevelopmental assessment with The Bayley scale of Infant Development-II at postnatal between 18 and 24 months was performed on all infants.Results:Fourteen infants (38.9%) were in the nonhemolytic group, while 22 (61.1%) were in the hemolytic group and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the measured mean Mental Developmental index and Psychomotor Developmental index scores. All 4 patients who underwent exchange transfusion had subgroup incompatibility and their Psychomotor Developmental index scores were significantly lower (p

Introduction: There is insufficient data on neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants small for gestational age (SGA) with ≤30 weeks of gestation. The aim of our study was to compare the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants who are ≤30 weeks, in terms of being SGA or appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Materials and Methods: The data of infants who were born at ≤30 GW, were evaluated retrospectively. Neurological examinations and developmental assessment using Bayley Scales of Infant Development 2nd edition was performed at the corrected age of 18-24 months. Results: The data of 228 infants of whom 65 were SGA and 163 were AGA was evaluated in terms of neurodevelopment at the corrected age of 18-24 months. The mean gestational age (GA) was 28.4±1.1 in both groups (p=0.82) and the mean BW was 810±135 g in the SGA group and 1175±183 g in the AGA group (p

This study aimed to explore the effects of individualized sensory integration interventions on the sensory processing functions of preterm infants. Thirty-four preterm infants (intervention group) at a corrected age of seven months and 34 term infants (control group) were included. The preterm infants underwent an eight-week sensory integration intervention. Before and after the intervention, the preterm infants’ sensory processing functions were evaluated using the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants and compared with those of term infants. Preterm infants had significantly poorer sensory processing function preintervention when compared with term infants. There was a significant improvement in preterm infants’ sensory processing functions after the sensory integration intervention. In conclusion, preterm infants should be evaluated for sensory processing disorders and individualized sensory integration interventions should be implemented.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the storage properties of red blood cell (RBC) concentrates of umbilical cordblood (UCB) and adult donor blood (ADB), and to evaluate the feasibility of UCB-RBC concentrate as an autologoussource for blood transfusion in very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm neonates. Material and Methods: In all, 30 newborn (10 preterm, 20 full term) UCB and 31 ADB units were collected.RBC concentrates were stored and compared with regard to pH, potassium (K+), 2,3-biphosphoglycerate (2-3-BPG),adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), plasma Hb, and bacterial contamination on d 1, 21, and 35 of storage. Results: The K+ level increased with time and differed significantly between storage d 1 and 21, and between storaged 1 and 35 in both the UCB and ADB units. Initial and d 21 K+ levels were higher in the UCB units than in the ADBunits. The 2,3-BPG level did not differ significantly between the UCB-PRC and ADB-PRC samples. After 35 d of storageboth UCB-PRC and ADB-PRC samples exhibited significant differences from the initial free Hb, intracellular ATP, andpH values. Significant differences in intracellular ATP and pH were also observed between the UCB-PRC and ADB-PRCsamples. Conclusion: The volume of harvested and prepared UCB-PRC can be used for some of the blood transfusions requiredduring the neonatal period and thus may decrease the number of allogeneic transfusions, especially in preterm newborns.The hematological and biochemical changes that occurred in UCB during storage were comparable with those observedin ADB, and do not pose a risk to the immature metabolism of neonates. UCB-RPC prepared and stored under standardconditions can be a safe alternative RBC source for transfusions in VLBW newborns.

We aimed to analyse infant (birth characteristics, feeding type, faecal enzyme activities) and environmental (maternal smoking, nutrition and psychological status, mother-child bonding, family structure, support for the mother, familial atopy) risk factors for infant colic and to follow infants with respect to physical growth, sleeping status up to 8 months of age in a nested case-control study. 660 mothers who delivered at Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Hospital, were enrolled within 3-72 h post delivery. Each infant with inconsolable persistent crying and four matched infants with no crying episodes were invited by phone to Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramaci Children's Hospital at 30-45 days post partum. At 40-55 days, we examined the infants and gave mothers a questionnaire, including crying characteristics of the infants; 47 infants were diagnosed with colic and 142 as non-colic. When the infants were 7-8 months old, another interview was done. The colic group had higher proportions of less-educated (≤ 8 years) and smoking mothers, extended family and families with domestic violence than the non-colic group. The colic group of mothers had significantly higher rates of 'impaired bonding' in the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, higher scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, higher scores for hostility subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory and a more irregular sleep pattern than the non-colic group. No differences were revealed for faecal enzyme activities. At 7-8 months, the colic group was shorter than the non-colic group. Colic was associated with various perinatal factors (maternal education, smoking habits, cheese consumption, hostility scores and domestic violence) and having colic in infancy negatively affected the sleeping pattern and the height of the infant.

Purpose: We calculated the brain volumes of preterm infants using two-dimensional cranial ultrasonography and explored the relationships thereof with neurodevelopment. Methods: Cranial measurements were derived using routine ultrasonographic scanning. The brain was considered to be an ellipsoid and estimated absolute brain volumes (EABVs) were calculated by substracting the volumes of the two lateral ventricles from the total brain volumes. Results: We enrolled preterm infants of mean gestational age 28 ± 2 weeks and mean birthweight 973 ± 187 g. Twenty-one exhibited dilated ventricles; their EABVs were lower than normal (206 ± 11 cm3 vs. 275 ± 17 cm3, p < 0.001). The mental development indices were similar (74 ± 5 vs. 78 ± 14, p = 0.069), but the psychomotor development indices (PDIs) differed significantly (77 ± 7 vs. 86 ± 17, p = 0.001). We found a slight positive correlation between the PDI and EABV (r = + 0.258, p = 0.012). Conclusion: The EABV can be calculated using two-dimensional measurements and low EABV found to be associated with poor neurological outcomes.