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To investigate the association between birth weight to placental weight (BW/PW) ratio, and echocardiographic left ventricle (LV) morphology at birth, while accounting for other relevant perinatal factors. A prospective cohort study was conducted on neonates at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital from 2014 to 2018, categorized by their BW/PW percentile. Missing data were imputed with principal component analysis. Chi-squared and one-way analysis of variance were used to compare BW/PW groups and the best regression model was selected using a genetic and backward stepwise algorithm. We analyzed 827 neonates in three BW/PW groups: small (n=16), normal (n=488), and large (n=323). Placental thickness and smallest diameter were positively correlated with several LV parameters, including inter-ventricular septal thickness during diastole (IVSd) (p=0.002, p<0.001) and systole (IVSs) (p=0.001, p<0.001), LV posterior wall thickness at end of diastole (LVPWd) (p=0.003, p<0.001) and systole (LVPWs) (p<0.001, p<0.001), LV mass (p=0.017, p<0.001), and LV mass/volume (p=0.011, p<0.001). The BW/PW ratio correlated with an increased shortening fraction (estimate=0.29, 95 % CI 0.03–0.55, p=0.027). PW correlated with IVSs (p=0.019), while the longest placental diameter was linked to a decrease in LV internal dimension during diastole (LVIDd) (estimate=−0.07, p=0.039), LV mass (estimate=−0.11, p=0.024), and LV mass/volume (estimate=−0.55, p=0.005). This study found that several placental factors, including the BW/PW ratio, can independently affect LV dimension and morphology, highlighting the importance of fetal growth and placental health in the physiological adaptation of the fetal heart. More research is needed to establish causation and inform newborn prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The objective of the study was to examine the effect of ranitidine on the incidence of late onset sepsis. Methods: This study was based on information extracted from charts of 569 infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from July 2003 to July 2005. All infants admitted for seven or more days were included. Late-onset neonatal sepsis was defined as a positive blood culture with clinical signs of sepsis after seven days of life. Outcome measures included the use of ranitidine, type of infection and infectious agent, birth weight gestational age, and type of care in the NICU. Results: Of the 569 infants admitted, 53 (9.3%) were treated with ranitidine. Of 74 infants who developed late-onset sepsis, 23 infants received ranitidine and 51 did not. Infants receiving ranitidine were at 7-times greater risk of late-onset sepsis (OR 6.99; 95% CI: 3.78–12.94; P<0.0001). The birth weights and gestational ages of infants with sepsis receiving ranitidine and those not receiving ranitidine were comparable, P=0.59. Conclusion: The use of ranitidine in infants admitted to the NICU elevates the risk of late-onset sepsis. The pathological mechanisms need to be further studied. The safety of widespread use of ranitidine in neonates is controversial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]