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Background: New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) constitute a broad range of hundreds of natural and synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, and other NPS classes, which were not controlled from 1961 to 1971 by the United Nations drug control conventions. Among these, synthetic opioids represent a major threat to public health., Methods: A literature search was carried out using public databases (such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus) to survey fentanyl-, fentanyl analogs-, and other synthetic opioid-related deaths. Keywords including "fentanyl", "fentanyl analogs", "death", "overdose", "intoxication", "synthetic opioids", "Novel Psychoactive Substances", "MT-45", "AH-7921", and "U-47700" were used for the inquiry., Results: From our literature examination, we inferred the frequent implication of fentanyls and synthetic opioids in side effects, which primarily affected the central nervous system and the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. The data showed a great variety of substances and lethal concentrations. Multidrug-related deaths appeared very common, in most reported cases., Conclusions: The investigation of the contribution of novel synthetic opioid intoxication to death should be based on a multidisciplinary approach aimed at framing each case and directing the investigation towards targeted toxicological analyses.

Background: A multidisciplinary committee composed of a panel of experts, including a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Institute of Architects, has suggested that the delivery room (DR) and the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) room should be directly interconnected. We aimed to investigate the impact of the architectural design of the DR and the NICU on neonatal outcome., Methods: Two cohorts of preterm neonates born at < 32 weeks of gestational age, consecutively observed during 2 years, were compared prospectively before (Cohort 1: "conventional DR") and after architectural renovation of the DR realized in accordance with specific standards (Cohort 2: "new concept of DR"). In Cohort 1, neonates were initially cared for a conventional resuscitation area, situated in the DR, and then transferred to the NICU, located on a separate floor of the same hospital. In Cohort 2 neonates were assisted at birth directly in the NICU room, which was directly connected to the DR via a pass-through door. The primary outcome of the study was morbidity, defined by the proportion of neonates with at least one complication of prematurity (i.e., late-onset sepsis, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity and necrotizing enterocolitis). Secondary outcomes were mortality and duration of hospitalization. Statistical analysis was performed using standard methods by SPSS software., Results: We enrolled 106 neonates (56 in Cohort 1 and 50 in Cohort 2). The main clinical and demographic characteristics of the 2 cohorts were similar. Moderate hypothermia (body temperature ≤ 35.9 °C) was more frequent in Cohort 1 (57%) compared with Cohort 2 (24%, p = 0.001). Morbidity was increased in Cohort 1 (73%) compared with Cohort 2 (44%, p = 0.002). No statistically significant differences in mortality and median duration of hospitalization were observed between the 2 cohorts of the study., Conclusions: If realized according to the proposed architectural standards, renovation of DR and NICU may represent an opportunity to reduce morbidity in preterm neonates.

Inhibitors of the cyclo-oxygenase component of prostaglandin-H2 synthetase, namely indomethacin and ibuprofen, are commonly used in the treatment of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus. These drugs are associated with serious adverse events, including gastrointestinal perforation, renal failure and bleeding. The role of paracetamol, an inhibitor of the peroxidase component of prostaglandin-H2 synthetase, has been proposed for the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus. We report a series of 8 neonates (birth weight: 724 ± 173 g; gestational age: 26 ± 2 weeks) treated with paracetamol for a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus, because of contraindications to ibuprofen or indomethacin. Successful closure was achieved in 6 out of 8 babies (75%). Median ductal diameter was significantly reduced after treatment (from 1.2 mm, range 1.0-2.5 mm to 0.6 mm, range 0.0-2.5 mm, p = 0.038). No adverse or side effects were observed during treatment. On the basis of these results, paracetamol could be considered a promising and safe therapy for the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in neonates.