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OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and clinical features of the late preterm infants with feeding intolerance. MATERIASL AND METHODS: Medical records of 426 infants with gestational age of 340/7- 366/7 weeks were retrospectively reviewed for the study. Clinical and demographic features of late preterm infants and episodes of feeding intolerance were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 54 late preterm infants with feeding intolerance were evaluated and compared with 178 infants without feeding intolerance. Baseline demographics were similar between groups. Mean duration of intolerance period was 2.3 ± 1.2 days. Time to full enteral feeding was significantly longer in late preterm infants with feeding intolerance when compared with infants without feeding intolerance (8 ± 2.3 vs 5.2 ± 1.7 days, respectively, p<0.001). Breastfeeding rates were similar between the groups. Rate of prokinetic use in the feeding intolerance group was 37%. There were no differences between the time to full enteral feeding and the duration of parenteral nutrition between prokinetic users and non-users. CONCLUSIONS: Although the gestational ages of late preterm infants are close to term and their size is relatively large, they are not like term infants. These infants should be followed closely in terms of feeding problems as well as many morbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The high morbidity of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very low birth weight infants (<1500 grams) (VLBW) requires the search for prevention strategies that are more effective than treatment. Current evidence supports the use of probiotics as protective factors. OBJECTIVES: To determine if probiotic supplementation in VLBW infants represents a preventive factor for the development of NEC. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study conducted in 145 VLBW infants, where the presence of NEC was evaluated in populations supplemented with L. reuteri, B. lactis or not supplemented. The comparison among groups was performed with the chi-square test for maximum likelihood-ratio. RESULTS: Of 66 supplemented patients, 86.4% did not present NEC (RR 0.23 [95% Ci: 0.12-0.43]; p<0.0001). In those not supplemented, the incidence of NEC was 59.5%. An NNT of 1.7 to 3.1 was obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the heterogeneity in clinical studies of probiotic supplementation, the evidence is strongly in favor of probiotic treatment for the prevention of NEC. This study found that supplementation from the first days of life at doses of 600 million CFUs/ day was more effective in preventing the presentation of NEC than higher doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To characterize clinical and epidemiological aspects of transfused neonates in Intensive and Special Care Units of a high-complexity Institution in Medellín, Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study that included hospitalized neonates in intensive or special care units between 2017 and 2018 who received transfusions during their hospital stay. For data collection information from medical records was used. The data analysis was done in the SPSS software, average and standard deviation were calculated for quantitative variables, and for qualitative variables, proportions were estimated. This study had ethical approval. RESULTS: 175 patients were included, with an average gestational age at birth of 31 weeks and an average weight of 1610 grams. 52.9% of the population was female. The main diagnoses were prematurity 127 (72.6%), respiratory distress syndrome 93 (53.1%), sepsis 75 (42.8%), and unspecified anemia 53 (30.3%). 94.4% of the neonates were hospitalized in the intensive care unit, with a median hospital stay of 35 days. Discharge was the main outcome with 83.7%, followed by death with 11.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Red blood cell transfusion in the neonatal population was frequently used in those admitted to intensive and special care units, this intervention showed favorable results but the lack of data in the medical records as a retrospective study limits the establishment of further associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of premature newborns with tracheoesophageal fistula and pulmonary insufficiency is a therapeutic challenge. A gastrostomy is usually performed in them to prevent bronchial aspiration; however, the gastrointestinal tract works in continuity with the tracheobronchial airway, which results in decreased intragastric pressure leading to loss of effective ventilatory pressure. In patients with acute ventilatory descompensation who do not respond to increased mechanical ventilation, a waterseal results in partial descompression of the gastric chamber and an increased effective ventilation pressure, which improves their clinical condition. Two newborns are presented in whom a waterseal temporarily improved respiratory function while a definite treatment was implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]