Search

Objective: To estimate the corrected age (CA) of acquisition of sitting and walking in very low birth weight infants with normal motor outcome at 2 years of age and to determine whether transient hypertonia is associated with a delay in the acquisition of sitting and walking., Methods: Follow-up study of very low birth weight infants (under 1500 g) admitted to the Neonatology Department of the Hospital 12 de Octubre from January 1991 to December 1996. At 2 years of age, 260 infants had normal motor outcome and 36% of these had been diagnosed with transient hypertonia. The age at which sitting and walking were attained was recorded by interview with the parents and was confirmed by examination., Results: The mean CA at which sitting was attained was 7.2 +/- 1.4 months. Ninety percent of the infants had acquired sitting at a CA of 9 months. Mean age at which walking was attained was 13.4 +/- 2.8 months. Ninety percent could walk at 16 months. Infants with and without transient hypertonia acquired sitting and walking at the same age., Conclusions: Ninety percent of very low birth weight infants attained sitting at a CA of 9 months and walking at a CA of 16 months. Transient hypertonia did not modify the pattern of sitting and walking and it could be considered a variation of normality within the development of very premature infants.

Objective: To describe survival rates at discharge in liveborn infants with birth-weight under 1000 g by birth-weight and gestational age categories in a third level spanish hospital in order to improve health care planning and parental counselling about the threshold of viability., Study Design: A follow-up study of 178 infants with birth-weight under 1000 g born alive between 1991 at 1997. Six newborns with lethal malformations were not included., Results: Overall survival at discharge was 54%. During the study period survival rate improved in the birth-weight group 750-999 g. In the group below 750 g survival rate was lower and improved more slowly. Survival rate for infants below 750 g and 26 weeks was extremely low. Over 749 g and 25 weeks survival was over 50%., Conclusions: Survival rate showed an improving trend during the study period. In the last years of the study period survival in infants with birth-weight over 749 g was above 85%. For infants under 750 g and 26 weeks was extremely low. Family and medical decision making about active treatment of these newborns should be an individualized process.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the weight, length and head circumference development in prematurely born babies who weighed less than 1,500 grams and who were included in the follow-up program of our neonatal unit., Patients and Methods: Review of data of the cohort included in the follow-up program between May 1990 and September 1995 was carried out. The weight and length were measured from 3 months of corrected age to 4 years of age. The head circumference was measured until 2 years of age., Results: We recruited 259 premature newborns (136 boys and 123 girls). The median gestational age was 30 weeks (23 to 36) and the median weight was 1,150 g (500 to 1,499 g). Twenty-seven percent were underweight for their gestational age (LWGA). The proportion of cases with weight below the 3rd percentile in the follow-up was stable around 25% in the group of adequate weight for gestational age. (AWGA). At 3 months of corrected age this proportion was 70% in the LWGA group, but there was a trend towards catch-up at 2 years of age. The worst results were obtained in the group that weighed less than 750 g at birth. The head circumference was better preserved than longitudinal growth and thus better than weight. All cases of head circumference below the 3rd percentile in the follow-up occurs in the LWGA group., Conclusions: Weight was the parameter with the worst evolution during follow-up, especially in the group that weighed less than 750 g at birth. The group of LWGA tended to catch-up at 2 years of age.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of surgical wound infection and the impact of this on the implementation of an antibiotic protocol according to the type of surgery and the prevailing endogenous flora in our neonatology unit., Patients and Methods: Patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed in order to assess the effectiveness of a protocol of surgical prophylaxis, comparing the incidence of postsurgical wound infection in two periods of time. Surgical interventions were classified according to the period of the study in which they were performed, before (period A) and after (period B) the protocol was undertaken. In addition, if the antibiotics administered fit or not those indicated in the protocol, it was classified as correct or not., Results: A total of 31 (37%) of the interventions were performed in period A, whereas 53 (63%) were carried out in period B. No statistically significant differences were found between periods with regard to the proportion of infections 925.8% vs 15%). When prophylactic antibiotics were administered correctly, infection occurred in 10.2%, as compared to 31.4% when they did not fit the protocol (p < 0.05). The duration of the antibiotics was longer in period A, in infected wounds and when prophylaxis was not correct., Conclusions: The correct adjustment to the protocol significantly decreases the incidence of wound infections, as well as the duration of antibiotic use. An appropriate policy of antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery is advantageous in terms of economic cost and might prevent antibiotic resistance and avoid unnecessary toxicity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of medical advice and cognitive-behavioral group therapy in the treatment of primary obesity in children and adolescents 7 to 15 years old., Patients and Methods: From five primary care centers 353 subjects (176 boys and 177 girls) were recruited and assigned to three groups. These groups were: medical advice (Group 1), cognitive-behavioral group therapy (Group 2) and those that rejected all treatments (Group 3). Forty variables were controlled and studied for association with prognosis., Results: A significant, but modest decrease in relative body mass index was noted in groups 1 and 2 in the first 6 months, but at two years no differences between the three groups were detected., Conclusions: It is concluded that cognitive-behavioral group therapy is not more effective than medical advice in our population and neither had a significant effect at two years when compared to no treatment.

A study was performed to determine, in our population, the relationship between transcutaneous, visual and serum bilirubin values. This was done in attempts to reduce the number of serum bilirubin determinations to be performed in the future. We did a correlation coefficient between serum bilirubin and five measurements of transcutaneous bilirubin levels in a group of 60 term newborns and 60 preterm newborns, obtaining a value of 0.84 in both groups. The results were also considered from an analytical point of view where the ability of the test to predict an alteration in serum bilirubin levels, for example > or = 12 mg/dl in preterm and > or = 13 mg/dl in term newborns, was assessed. For values of 18 in preterm and 17 in term infants, the transcutaneous method was found to be both sensitive and specific. If Kramer's test is also evaluated the results improve.

Authors described a new case of Coffin Lowry syndrome which presents a severe form, typical of males. Slight degree of affection in the mother and sister supports hypothesis of X-linked dominant trait. Authors want to underline normal appearance of the newborn period and progressive appearance of both neurological alterations and typical face of this condition. They have observed repetitive pneumonia probably produced by alimentary aspiration.

Authors present 7 cases of spontaneous congenital chylothorax, all of them diagnosed antepartum echographycally. Six of them needed cardiopulmonary resucitation but none presented fetal anoxia. Three cases had associated malformations. Treatment included thoracocenthesis, pleural drainage, assisted ventilation and appropriate nutrition. Pleural effusion lasted from 14 days to 6 months. Complications were: pneumothorax, metabolic acidosis and bacterial infections. Three patients died by respiratory failure. Pulmonary hypoplasia was present in two of them, and suspected in the third one. Survivors are free of symptoms.