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Aim: Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is used to reduce right-to-left extrapulmonary shunting by decreasing pulmonary vascular resistance in term or near-term infants. The objectives of this study were to determine, first, the pulmonary blood flow status of very preterm infants with hypoxaemic respiratory failure, then the response of oxygenation to iNO therapy according to pulmonary blood flow (PBF) and, finally, to verify the lack of adverse side effects of iNO on the ductus arteriosus. Methods: Infants below 32 wk gestational age (GA) with hypoxic respiratory failure and aAO 2 < 0.22 were randomized as the control or iNO group. PBF was evaluated by pulsed Doppler measurement of mean pulmonary blood flow velocity (MPBFV) in the left pulmonary artery. Low PBF (LPBF) was defined as MPBFV <0.2 m/s. Results: Seventy infants of 23 to 31 wk GA with hypoxic respiratory failure were randomized either to receive or not to receive 5 ppm iNO in addition to optimal care. Twenty-eight infants were diagnosed with LPBF (11/35 in iNO vs 17/35 in the control groups). Thirty minutes after receiving iNO the number of LPBF infants dropped to 8/35. In the iNO group, aAO 2 increased significantly from 0.14 ± 0.05 to 0.24 ± 0.08 after iNO, but only in the LPBF infants (mean ± SD; p = 0.027). Conclusion: In infants below 32 wk GA with hypoxic respiratory failure, Doppler echocardiographic assessment of LPBF seems to be able to determine which patients are likely to benefit from iNO therapy on systemic oxygenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case reports. – We report two cases of cardiac dysfunction in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) evaluated with serial echocardiography. Two cases of TTTS were referred at 27 and 26 weeks. At delivery at 31 weeks, the first recipient twin had evidence of severe cardiac dysfunction with decreased ventricular function and transient systemic hypertension. There was polycythaemia. Favorable outcome was observed after treatment with arterial vasodilating (nicardipine) and inotropic agents (dobutamine, enoximone), and reduction of haematocrit. At 28 weeks the other recipient twin had cardiac dilatation with hypokinetic myocardium. These alterations were cured by dobutamine.Conclusion. – These cases show that even severe cardiac dysfunction may be reversed after birth unlike in utero natural evolution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aims of this study were to describe EEG anomalies in unilateral neonatal ischemic stroke without hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and to determine possible links between these abnormalities and long-term outcome. In 6 full-term newborns without severe fetal distress ischemic stroke was confirmed by computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Twenty EEGs were recorded during the neonatal period, 5 in acute stage and 15 later. The duration of the follow-up ranged from 3 to 9 years. All newborns developed unilateral clonic seizures, right-sided (5 cases) or left-sided (1 case); seizures began between 14 and 48 h of life. At follow-up, 3 children were normal at 2 and 6 years of age, while the 3 others had sequelae: epilepsy at 9 years of age in one, and unilateral mild cerebral palsy in the 2 others (3 and 4 years of age), with behavioral problems in one of them. Critical EEG discharges, rhythmic sharp waves and/or slow waves were recorded on the injured side. Abnormalities of interictal activity were excess of alpha or theta rhythms, transitory EEG discontinuity or low voltage. The 2 children with cerebral palsy had numerous unilateral post-ictal positive rolandic slow sharp waves (PRSSWs), which were similar to the positive rolandic sharp waves of premature infants; the child with behavioral problems had numerous positive left-sided temporal fast sharp waves. PRSSWs could be associated with controlateral motor sequelae, while positive left temporal fast sharp waves were associated with long term behavioral problems. These findings may be used for future prospective studies aimed at specifying the relation between EEG abnormalities and long-term outcome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]