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Objective:To examine the association of nursing overtime, nursing provision and unit occupancy rate with medical incident rates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the risk of mortality or major morbidity among very preterm infants.Study design:Single center retrospective cohort study of infants born within 23 to 29 weeks of gestational age or birth weight <1000 g admitted at a 56 bed, level III NICU. Nursing overtime ratios (nursing overtime hours/total nursing hours), nursing provision ratios (nursing hours/recommended nursing hours based on patient dependency categories) and unit occupancy rates were pooled for all shifts during NICU hospitalization of each infant. Log-binomial models assessed their association with the composite outcome (mortality or major morbidity).Results:Of the 257 infants that met the inclusion criteria, 131 (51%) developed the composite outcome. In the adjusted multivariable analyses, high (>3.4%) relative to low nursing overtime ratios (⩽3.4%) were not associated with the composite outcome (relative risk (RR): 0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86 to 1.02). High nursing provision ratios (>1) were associated with a lower risk of the composite outcome relative to low ones (⩽1) (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74 to 0.90). NICU occupancy rates were not associated with the composite outcome (RR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.07, high (>100%) vs low (⩽100%)). Days with high nursing provision ratios (>1) were also associated with lower risk of having medical incidents (RR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.82 to 0.99).Conclusion:High nursing provision ratio during NICU hospitalization is associated with a lower risk of a composite adverse outcome in very preterm infants.

Objective:: To evaluate the association between birth route and late-onset sepsis (LOS), and coagulase-negative Staphylococcal (CONS)-related LOS in preterm neonates. Study Design:: In this observational study, data from 20,038 infants born between 22 and 32 weeks’ gestation and admitted to Canadian neonatal intensive care units between 2010 and 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. The impact of birth route on LOS was assessed using univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression. Results:: A total of 8218 neonates were born via vaginal route and 11,820 via cesarean section. Incidence rates of LOS for infants born vaginally and via a cesarean section were 13.1 and 13.2%, respectively, and there was no significant difference in odds of LOS between the groups (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.99; 95% CI 0.87 to 1.12); however, the odds of CONS sepsis were higher in the cesarean group (AOR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.32). Conclusion:: Birth route did not have an impact on LOS, but was associated with CONS-related LOS.

Background/Purpose:: In normal lungs, fetal tracheal occlusion (TO) induces lung growth but decreases the number of type II cells; this is remedied if TO is released (TR) before delivery. In the current study, the effects of TO with or without TR on pulmonary structure and surfactant were assessed in the ovine model in which lung hypoplasia was induced by creation of a diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods:: A left-sided CDH was created in fetal lambs at 80 days gestation; TO was done at 108 days; and TR at 129 days. All ewes were given 1 dose of glucocorticoids at 135 days. At 136 days, the fetus was delivered. Lung weight to body weight ratio, mean terminal bronchiole density, type II cell density, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) phosphatidylcholine (PC), BAL surfactant protein A (SP-A) and B (SP-13), and lung tissue SP-A and SP-13 were assessed in CDH, CDH with TO, CDH with TO and TR, and controls. Results:: CDH lungs were hypoplastic and structurally immature, but had increased type II cell density. TO with or without TR caused lung growth with normalization of lung parenchymal architecture and type II cell density. Although the BAL SP-A and BAL SP-13 were similar in all 4 groups, the BAL PC was low in CDH with or without TO or TR. Also, lung tissue SP-13 levels were low in CDH with or without TO or TR. However, lung tissue SP-A levels were normal in CDH, but low in CDH with TO with or without TR. Conclusions:: Despite the finding that lung morphology was improved in CDH with TO with or without TR animals, surfactant content and composition remained abnormal. Although surfactant secreted early by the fetus into alveolar spaces contained normal levels of BAL SP-A and BAL SP-B, the low levels of BAL PC and low lung tissue stores of SP-13 indicate that these experimental lambs may experience respiratory insufficiency soon after birth. This implies that prophylactic surfactant at birth might be beneficial for CDH.