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Objective: The role of cord milking as an alternative to delayed cord clamping is an area that requires more research. Purpose of this clinical trial was to investigate the impact of umbilical cord milking on the absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) and the neutropenia frequency of preterm infants.Methods: Fifty-eight pregnant women were randomly assigned to one of the umbilical cord milking and control groups. A total of 54 preterm infants (gestational age ≤ 32 weeks) were enrolled into the study. The umbilical cords of 25 infants were clamped immediately after birth, and in 29 infants, umbilical cord milking was performed first.Results: The ANCs were statistically significantly lower in the cord milking group compared with the control group on days 1, 3 and 7. The frequency of neutropenia was higher in the cord milking group compared with the control group.Conclusion: In our study, ANCs were lower in the cord milking group and the frequency of neutropenia was higher. Umbilical cord milking plays a role on the ANCs of preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic potential of resistin in sepsis and to compare results with C-reactive protein (CRP) in infants < 32 weeks of gestation. Study Design A total of 64 infants were prospectively included in the study. Blood samples were collected for basal CRP and resistin within the first hour of life. When sepsis was suspected, samples were collected for CRP and resistin before the treatment was started (pretreatment CRP and resistin). On the third day of sepsis, CRP and resistin levels were measured for evaluating the treatment response (follow-up CRP and followup resistin). Culture-proven septic patients were divided into groups according to early or late-onset sepsis (EOS and LOS) and gram-negative or gram-positive sepsis (GNS and GPS). Results Pretreatment and follow-up resistin levels were significantly higher than basal resistin levels in both EOS and LOS groups (p < 0.01), with a positive correlation with CRP levels. To predict the GNS and GPS area under curve, values of pretreatment CRP and resistin were 0.714 and 0.984, respectively (p = 0.039). Conclusion Resistin had a superior potential to that of CRP in the diagnosis of sepsis in preterm infants. Resistin may be used as an early marker for sepsis in premature infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the effects of delayed cord clamping (DCC) on peripheral hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) and hematological parameters in premature infants (<32 weeks) during the neonatal period. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, and controlled, single-center study. Prior to delivery, 21 infants were randomly assigned to immediate cord clamping (ICC) at 5-10 s and 21 infants to DCC at 30-45 s. One milliliter blood sample was taken in the first 30 min of life. HPCs were measured by three-color flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies. Results: There were no significant differences between groups in either maternal or neonatal demographics. All HPC counts were higher in the ICC group, but the difference was not significant. CD34+ cell counts were 45.3±36.6/μL in the ICC and 33.2±26.6/μL in the DCC group (P=0.33); multi-potent progenitor cell counts were 43.2±35/μL in the ICC and 31.1±26.6/μL in the DCC group (P=0.28); and hematopoietic stem cell counts were 2.1±2.1/μL in the ICC and 2.1±3.1/μL in the DCC group (P=0.66). Conclusion: Contrary to our expectation, all HPC counts were lower in the DCC group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to determine whether there was an association between perinatal risk factors of prematurity and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). A prospective case-control trial was designed. Fifty preterm newborns (100 ears) with a gestational age <37 weeks were included. The control group consisted of 20 healthy term infants (40 ears). VEMP recordings were performed, and mean latencies of p13 were calculated in all study subjects. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the influence of perinatal variables on abnormal VEMP responses. VEMPs were elicited in all term infants (40 ears). In preterm infants, the responses were normal in 71 ears, delayed in 24 and absent in 5. There was a significant difference between abnormal VEMP rates for preterm and term infants (p < 0.001). Asphyxia (OR = 13.985, p = 0.048) and time of VEMP test (OR = 0.865, p = 0.038) were related to abnormal VEMP responses. There was no association between delayed VEMPs and gestational age, birth weight, hemoglobin and bilirubin levels, phototherapy, intracranial hemorrhage, convulsions, sepsis, ototoxic drugs, transfusion, mechanical ventilation, retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and respiratory distress syndrome. These results suggest a delay in the maturation of VEMPs in premature infants. Asphyxia was the most important risk factor for abnormal VEMP responses in preterm infants. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Late preterm infants (LPIs) have increased steadily in all newborns delivery and they are the largest patient group requiring admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. Surfactant treatment is frequently used in LPIs in case of respiratory distress, but the procedure and the timing of surfactant administration are not well-known. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effect of surfactant administration techniques on pulmonary outcomes in LPIs with respiratory distress. Methods: In this retrospective study, we compared the effects of the less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) technique and conventional treatment on respiratory and other morbidities in LPIs who have respiratory difficulties. We named these two groups as the LISA group and the conventional group (CG). Comparison of the mechanical ventilation (MV) rates between the groups was the primary outcome of our study. Results: There were 25 LPIs in each group. The duration of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oxygenation were similar in both groups. The rate of MV and the duration of MV (P = 0.004 and P = 0.02) were lower in the LISA group. Also, the need for more than 1 dose of surfactant was higher in the MV requiring group, although it was not statistically significant between the groups (P = 0.21). Conclusion: Using the LISA technique for surfactant instillation reduces any MV requirement. LISA is a very useful and reliable technique in experienced hands in LPIs as in very preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]