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Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is frequently encountered in premature infants. Optimal management of PDA remains undefined. We aim to assess the national trend for PDA ligation over 18 years and evaluate mortality and associated morbidities. Methods: We used data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and KID of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) from 1998 to 2015. All infants with gestational age 24–32 weeks and birth weight

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to identify patient and hospitalization characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality in infants with truncus arteriosus. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of a large administrative database, the National Inpatient Sample data set of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for the years 2002 to 2017. We also sought to evaluate the resource utilization in the subgroup of subjects with truncus arteriosus and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Neonates with truncus arteriosus were identified by ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Hospital and patient factors associated with inpatient mortality were analyzed. RESULTS Overall, 3009 neonates met inclusion criteria; a total of 326 patients died during the hospitalization (10.8%). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization was 7.1%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Significant risk factors for mortality were prematurity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-4.22; P = .002), diagnosis of stroke (aOR = 26.2; 95% CI: 10.1-68.1; P

Early diagnosis of diarrhea is critical to prevent disease progression. Diarrhea in newborns can be congenital or acquired; acquired diarrheas are the major cause in infants. Congenital diarrheal diseases are rare and include defects in digestion, absorption, and transport of nutrients, and electrolytes; disorders of enterocyte differentiation and polarization; defects of enteroendocrine cell differentiation; dysregulation of the intestinal immune response; and dysfunction of the immune system. This review discusses the clinical approach that may help in early identification and management of different congenital diarrheal diseases.

Background: Seizures are the most frequent neurological manifestation in neonates. Prevalence of neonatal seizures has not been well described in relationship with gestational age (GA). Also, the impact of seizures on neonatal mortality has not been quantified. This study aims to determine 1) prevalence of neonatal seizures in all GA groups, 2) associated mortality in each GA group and 3) impact of seizures on length of stay (LOS) of survivors in each GA group. Methods: Data from the national Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) for the years 2006, 2009 and 2012 was used in the study. All admitted infants with a documented GA were included in the study. All categorical variables were analyzed using Chi-square test, continuous variables were analyzed using t-test, and logistic regression analysis used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: A total of 10, 572,209 infants were included, of whom 4400 infants (0.04%) had seizures. The highest prevalence was at 24 weeks (0.12%). Overall mortality rate of patients with seizures was 4% with OR = 2.24 (95% CI = 1.90–2.65, p

OBJECTIVES Transposition of the great arteries is the most common cyanotic congenital heart defect. Surgical correction usually occurs in the first week of life; presence of restrictive interatrial communication and severe hypoxemia warrants urgent intervention with balloon atrial septostomy and medical stabilization prior to surgery. The main objective of this study is to compare the characteristics, outcomes, and mortality risks in patients with transposition of the great arteries who underwent balloon atrial septostomy during their hospitalization versus transposition of the great arteries patients who have not undergone this procedure. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of administrative data. SETTING Data from Kids' Inpatient Database complemented with the National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 1998-2014, this includes data from participating hospitals in 47 U.S. States and the District of Columbia. PATIENTS Neonates admitted with transposition of the great arteries. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A total of 17,392 neonates with diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries were captured in the databases we used. Male-to-female ratio was 2:1. The rate of balloon atrial septostomy in patients with transposition of the great arteries was 27.7% without significant change over the years. There was no significant difference in mortality between balloon atrial septostomy and no balloon atrial septostomy (6.3% vs 6.7%; p = 0.29). Neonates with balloon atrial septostomy had a two-fold increase in their length of stay compared with no balloon atrial septostomy (16 d vs 7 d; p < 0.0001). Stroke was present in 1.1% of balloon atrial septostomy group versus 0.6% in those who did not have balloon atrial septostomy (odds ratio, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.29-2.65; p < 0.0001). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used more in balloon atrial septostomy group (5.1% vs 3.1%; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS There was no difference in mortality rate between balloon atrial septostomy and no balloon atrial septostomy patients. The prevalence of the diagnosis of stroke in this study was higher in patients who underwent balloon atrial septostomy. Furthermore, comparison of in-hospital mortality in balloon atrial septostomy and no balloon atrial septostomy revealed increased mortality risk in no balloon atrial septostomy patients transferred from other institution, no balloon atrial septostomy patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and balloon atrial septostomy patients diagnosed with stroke. Finally, length of stay and charges were higher in balloon atrial septostomy patients.

Preterm infants frequently present with respiratory insufficiency requiring respiratory assistance. Invasive mechanical ventilation has been associated with several short and long term complications. Therefore, the practice of early use of non-invasive ventilation has been adopted. Nasal CPAP proved efficacy as an initial therapy for preterm infants. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation is an alternative used to mitigate CPAP failure in infants with apnea or increased work of breathing. High flow nasal cannula gained popularity primarily due to the ease of its use, despite multiple prominent trials that demonstrated its inferiority. Bi-level positive airway pressure and neurally adjusted non-invasive ventilatory are used in infants with apnea and increased work of breathing. The effectiveness of non invasive ventilation tools can be augmented by having a proper protocol for initiation, weaning, skin care, positioning, and developmental care during their application. Keywords: Preterm infant, Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, Mechanical ventilation, Noninvasive ventilation

The objective of this study was to identify patient and hospitalization characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). We conducted a retrospective analysis of a large administrative database, the National Inpatient Sample dataset of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for the years 2002–2016. Neonates with HLHS were identified by ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Hospital and patient factors associated with inpatient mortality were analyzed. Overall, 18,867 neonates met the criteria of inclusion; a total of 3813 patients died during the hospitalization (20.2%). In-hospital mortality decreased over the years of the study (27.0% in 2002 vs. 18.3% in 2016). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization was 8.1%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Independent non-modifiable risk factors for mortality were birth weight

Background /Introduction: A high prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was seen in association with hepatitis C virus infection; moreover, risk of development of T2DM is increased about 11 folds in patients with risk factors for metabolic syndrome in the presence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. There is a few available data on the effect of HCV eradication by the new direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) on the glycemic control; hence the aim of our study is to evaluate the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level changes in type 2 diabetic chronic HCV non cirrhotic treatment-naïve Egyptian patients after eradication with sofosbuvir (SOV) plus daclatasvir (DCV). Patients and Methods: A prospective observational cross-sectional study, included 128 type 2 diabetic HCV patients with easy to treat criteria (non cirrhotic treatment-naïve patients with the following liver biochemical markers; total serum bilirubin ≤ 1.2 mg/dl, serum albumin ≥ 3.5 g/dl, INR≤ 1.2 and Platelet count≥ 150.000/mm3); according to the protocol of the Egyptian National Committee for Controlling HCV and the guidelines of the European Association for the Study of the Liver. HbA1c was done for all patients enrolled in the study before starting antiviral treatment, at the end of treatment and 3 months (12 weeks) after the end of treatment to patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) 12 only. Results: According to their antidiabetic medications, patients were classified to Group I: 70 patients taking oral hypoglycemic drugs, Group II: 58 patients taking insulin therapy +/- oral hypoglycemic drugs. Regarding the glycemic profile, a statistically significant decrease of mean HbA1c % values was found in the studied patients (n=128), over the period of the study with p-value < 0.05. For better evaluation of improvement of glycemic control, we used a composite endpoint given by the reduction of HbA1c % (of a minimum of 0.5%). The endpoint was reached to 79% (101 patients) of all studied patients 3 months after the end of treatment. 75.7% (53 patients) reached the endpoint in group I, while 82.75 % (48 patients) of group II reached the endpoint 3 months after the end of treatment. Conclusion: This study supports the idea that HCV eradication leads to a reduction in HbA1c in patients with diabetes, which could delay the onset and progression of microvascular diabetes complications.

Background Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is associated with marginal decrease in chronic lung disease (CLD). This study aims to report outcomes, with focus on CLD, of preterm infants managed with a bubble CPAP (b-CPAP) bundle of care. Methods Infants

Objective Delayed cord clamping (DCC) has been recently adopted in neonatal resuscitation. The immediate cardiac hemodynamic effects related to DCC more than 30 seconds was not studied. We aimed to study the effect of DCC at 120 seconds compared with 30 seconds on multiple hemodynamic variables in full-term infants using an electrical cardiometry (EC) device. Study Design Present study is a randomized clinical trial. The study was conducted with full-term infants who were delivered at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department in Cairo University Hospital. Sixty-eight full term infants were successfully enrolled in this trial. Cardiac output (CO) and other hemodynamic parameters were evaluated in this study by EC device. Hemoglobin, glucose, and bilirubin concentrations were measured at 24 hours. Newborn infants were assigned randomly into group 1: DCC at 30 seconds, and group 2: DCC at 120 seconds, based on the time of cord clamping. Results Stroke volume (SV) (mL) and CO (L/min) were significantly higher in group 2 compared with group 1 at 5 minutes (6.71 vs. 5.35 and 1.09 vs. 0.75), 10 minutes (6.43 vs. 5.59 and 0.88 vs. 0.77), 15 minutes (6.45 vs. 5.60 and 0.89 vs. 0.76), and 24 hours (6.67 vs. 5.75 and 0.91vs. 0.81), respectively. Index of contractility (ICON; units) was significantly increased in group 2 at 5 minutes compared with group1 (114.2 vs. 83.8). Hematocrit (%) and total bilirubin concentrations (mg/dL) at 24 hours were significantly increased in group 2 compared with group 1 (51.5 vs. 40.5 and 3.8 vs. 2.9, respectively). Conclusion Stroke volume and cardiac output are significantly higher in neonates with DCC at 120 seconds compared with 30 seconds that continues for the first 24 hours. Key Points

Objective:To determine modifiable hospital factors associated with survival of infants with GA ≤24 weeks and birth weight Design: National data were analyzed for the years 2010-2018. Hospitals were categorized according to delivery volume, US regions, and teaching status.Results: We identified 33,998,014 infants born during the study period; 76,231 infants were ≤24 weeks. Survival was greatest in urban teaching hospitals in infants Conclusions: Hospital factors are associated with increased survival rates. Improved survival in large teaching hospitals supports the need for regionalization of care in infants born at the limits of viability. There was a significant delay in the postnatal mortality day.

To investigate the prevalence and features of degenerative enthesopathic changes in a large cohort of healthy individuals by musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) and their relation to age and other demographic features.In this cross-sectional study, 147 healthy subjects (1470 entheses) were examined by MSUS according to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology guidelines: Achilles tendon, plantar fascia, patellar, and quadriceps insertions of both lower limbs.The mean age (±SD) of the participants was 43.68 (±14.53) years and 57.1% were female. Enthesopathy has been detected in at least 1 area in 113 subjects (76.87%). Thickening (21.6%) and hypoechogenicity (15.3%) were the most frequent inflammatory findings while enthesophyte (10.13%) was the most prevalent structural one. Age and male gender were significantly correlating with inflammatory (rThickening, hypoechogenicity, cortical irregularities, and enthesophytes are frequent degenerative features of enthesopathy. These findings need to be redefined to be more specific for spondyloarthritides. Enthesopathy should be interpreted with caution in the light of the clinical picture, especially in elderly and obese male patients.

Background: Infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) may have an increased risk to develop seizures during hospitalization. Objectives: to examine the association of CHD with non-epileptic, non-traumatic seizures in hospitalized infants up to one year of age. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the U.S. National Inpatient Sample dataset (2015-2018). We used the international classification of disease-10 th version to identify infants with different types of CHD. We included infants up to one year of age. We excluded infants Results: There was 12,023,781 infants in the weighted sample who met our inclusion criteria. Of them, 48.7% were females, 46.7% were Caucasians, 195,685 (1.63%) were identified with a CHD and 20,565 (0.17%) suffered at least one episode of seizure during hospitalization. Seizures occurred in 4225 (2.2%) of infants with any type of CHD compared to 16,340 (0.14%) in infants with no CHD, odds ratios for seizures is 15.6 (CI: 15.2-16.5, p p Conclusion: Infants with CHD have a higher chance to experience seizure episodes during their hospitalization and those who have seizures have higher chances of mortality during hospitalization. Further analysis is required to understand the pathological correlation between seizures and CHD and its impact on long term developmental outcomes.

Background: Low bone mineral density (BMD) and low vitamin D were found to be in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. The incidence of AIS with osteoporosis is believed to reduce the intensity of the bone by about 20-38 percent Aim: To assess vitamin D level and BMD in patients with adolescent scoliosis. Methods: This work was done in Al-Azhar University hospitals and involved 112 patients diagnosed with AIS and a Cobb angle > 10o aged from 10 - 18 years old. Vitamin D level, Cobb angle and BMD measured in all subjects. Results: Our result included 112 patients, seventy-four (66.1%) of the patients had vitamin D deficiency. Osteopenia present in 39% and osteoporosis in 25% of AIS patients by lumbar spine Z-score and by hip Z-score, osteopenia present in 53% and osteoporosis in 12% of AIS patients. Conclusion: We concluded that majority of AIS patients have low serum vitamin D and low BMD.

Background Pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains a challenging issue to this relatively less invasive surgery, In this study we try to tackle this problem through intraperitoneal injection of drugs particularly morphine and bupivicaine to reduce post-operative pain. Objectives The Aim of this study is to assess postoperative pain in laparoscopic cholecystectomy by comparing between administering intraperitoneal bupivacaine alone versus intraperitoneal bupivacaine with intravenous morphine; Using the VAS scale and measuring time for rescue analgesic administration. Methods and material This prospective double blinded randomized clinical trial study was conducted in Ain Shams University hospital after approval of the anesthesia department and the local ethics and research committee over 6 months and after obtaining a written informed consent. Sixty patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in the study their ages range between 18 and 60 years old and classified as ASA I and II. The patients were randomly divided using computer generated randomization into two groups 30 patients in each (n = 30), Group BM received 30 ml of mixture of bupivacaine and 2 mg morphine while group BO received bupivacaine only Results This study showed that Morphine bupivacaine admixture had made dramatic decline in shoulder and abdominal pain VAS scores specifically at the 18th and24th hour; 15 patients in the BM group had either VAS score zero or 1 when compared to BO group whom their scores at the 18th and 24th hour was between 4 and 8. Also, there was more decrease in postoperative analgesic consumption in BM group. Conclusions We conclude that intraperitoneal instillation of 2 mg to bupivacaine 0.5% in elective LC significantly reduced post-operative shoulder pain and analgesic requirement when compared to bupivacaine 0.5% alone.

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a serious condition with devastating neurological outcomes that can impact oxygenation and ventilation. The currently recommended therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for these infants may also has several respiratory implications. It decreases metabolic rate and oxygen demands; however, it increases oxygen solubility in the blood and impacts its release to peripheral tissue including the brain. Respiratory management of infants treated with TH should aim for minimizing exposure to hypocapnia or hyperoxia. Inspiratory gas should be heated to 37 °C and humidified to prevent airway and alveolar injury. Blood gas values should be corrected to the core temperature during TH and the use of alkaline buffers is discouraged. While mild sedation/analgesia may ameliorate the discomfort related to cooling, paralytic agents/heavy sedation should be used with caution considering their side effects. Finally, the use of caffeine still needs careful investigation in this population.

Neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) were identified from the National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 1998-2014. These patients were stratified into two chronological groups, past group (1998-2005) and recent group (2006-2014). A total of 20,649 neonates with HLHS were identified. Of them, 9179 (44.5%) were born in the past group and 11,470 (55.5%) in the recent group. Median birth weight was significantly less in the recent group (2967 g vs. 3110 g, p = 0.005). The patients in the recent group had more patients with low birth weight (2.5 kg) and prematurity (8.7% vs 7.6% and 12.7% vs. 4.3%., respectively). In addition, recent group had more comorbidities including chromosomal anomalies, total anomalous pulmonary venous return, and kidney anomalies (5.6% vs. 3.6%, 2.3% vs. 1.7%, and 5.6% vs. 3.6%, respectively, p0.001); these were associated with a higher rate of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization (9.2% vs. 4.5%, p0.001). Consequently, median length of stay was longer in the recent group (8 vs. 6 days, p0.001).Conclusion: Despite the higher frequency of comorbidities in recent group, the mortality rates decreased by 20% (from 25.3% to 20.6%, p0.001). Balloon atrial septostomy was performed less frequently in the recent group (23.3% vs. 16.1%, p0.001).What is known:• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome has the highest mortality among congenital cardiac defects during the first year of life.• Limited studies on patients' comorbidities and mortality rates trends over last two decades.What is new:• The study utilized a national database to compare in-hospital mortality and length of stay between the two time periods 1998-2005 and 2006-2014.• The recent group had more comorbidities (prematurity, chromosomal anomalies, total anomalous pulmonary venous return, and kidney anomalies), and there was higher rate of ECMO and longer length of stay, while mortality rates decreased by 20%.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of 2 different doses of vitamin D on the expression of T regulatory cells (Treg) in premature infants. A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on preterm infants born with gestational age between 28 and 33 weeks. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive 400 or 800 IU/day of vitamin D3 when they achieved 100 mL/kg of enteral feeds. Percentage increase in Treg cell counts were measured by flow cytometry at enrollment, and after 1 and 4 weeks of oral vitamin D supplementation at the allotted doses in both groups. Short-term morbidity and mortality outcomes were also assessed. A total of 40 infants were enrolled, 20 in each group. The change in Treg count (%) was significantly less in the low-dose vitamin D3 supplementation group after 1 week (1.9 ± 5.5 vs 60 ± 5.6, P = 0.0005) and after 4 weeks (1.8 ± 5.7 vs 73.7 ± 5.6, P = 0.0028). The 2 groups did not differ in anthropometric measurements, duration of oxygen and respiratory support, and mortality. Length of hospital stay was longer in the low-dose group (24.9 ± 5.14 vs 22 ± 3.49, P = 0.04). Oral vitamin D supplementation has a dose and time dependent effect on percentage of Treg in infants born prematurely. The 800 IU dose of vitamin D3 did not have apparent short-term side effects. Larger studies are needed to explore the effect of vitamin D3 dosing on length of hospital stay.

The objective of this study was to use current national data to evaluate the characteristics and survival trends of preterm infants born with CDH from 2004 to 2014. Data was queried from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and KID database from 2004 to 2014. Infants were included if diagnosed with CDH by ICD-9 coding and gestational age

Background: Transfusion-related immunomodulation (TRIM) has been described in adults; however, its existence in neonates is not confirmed. The generation of TRIM is attributed to increased concentrations of IL-8, sICAM-1 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study aimed to monitor changes in IL-8, sICAM-1 as markers for TRIM in premature infants at different postnatal ages. Methods: Preterm infants with a gestational age between 28 and 32 weeks who were receiving PRBC transfusion during the first 28 days of life were included in the study. Infants were stratified into two groups according to their postnatal age: Group 1 with postnatal ages of (0–14) days and Group 2 of (15–28) days. The concentrations of IL-8 and sICAM-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before transfusion, 6 h after the end of transfusion and in the donor's PRBCs bag immediately before infusion into the baby. Results: IL-8 concentration in the PRBCs bags correlated with post-transfusion level in Group 2 (r = 0.59, p = 0.002) but not in Group 1 (r = 0.39, p = 0.06). sICAM-1 concentration in the bag correlated with infants'concentrations in neither group. In Group 1, pre-transfusion concentrations of both cytokines (IL-8 and sICAM-1) did not correlate whereas post-transfusion concentrations did correlate (r = –0.09, p = 0.68 and r = 0.4, p = 0.05 respectively). In Group 2, the concentrations of both cytokines did not correlate with each other during pre-transfusion (r = 0.11, p = 0.58) as well as post-transfusion (r = 0.12, p = 0.56). There was no significant increase in either cytokines after transfusion in each group. Conclusion: This study showed positive correlation between IL-8 concentration in the transfusion bag and post transfusion in Group 2 infants which could be attributed to passive transmission from the bags. This study does not support an immune modulatory effect for packed RBC in preterm infants. Key Words: blood transfusion, cytokines, interleukin 8, preterm, transfusion-related immunomodulation

Objective To evaluate biochemical and clinical effects of 2 different doses of vitamin D supplementation in preterm infants with late-onset sepsis (LOS). Study design A double blinded randomized controlled stratified trial included preterm infants with gestational age (GA) ≥28 weeks with LOS. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive 400 or 800 IU/day of vitamin D3. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D, TNF-α, and IL-6 were measured at enrollment, 7 days after vitamin D supplementation, and at 40 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA). Short-term outcomes and growth parameters were assessed. Results A total of 50 infants were enrolled, 25 in each group. Seventy-six percentage of enrolled infants were vitamin D-deficient at enrollment in both groups whereas only one infant in the 400 IU and none in the 800 IU group remained deficient at 40 week's PMA; vitamin D concentrations at 40 weeks PMA were 54.8 ± 35.1 and 67.4 ± 37.1 ng/mL, respectively, P = 0.01). None of the infants enrolled in the study had signs of vitamin D toxicity. Serum pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF- α concentrations decreased at 1 week and at discharge in both groups without differences between groups. The 2 groups did not differ in anthropometric measurements, duration of oxygen and respiratory support, duration of antimicrobial use, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Conclusions A dose of 400 IU of vitamin D was adequate to treat vitamin D deficiency in the majority of premature infants with LOS. The 2 dosing regimens did not differ in clinical or biochemical changes.

Background The pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) includes arrest of alveolar septation and enhanced fibrosis. We hypothesized that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in tracheal aspirates of mechanically ventilated premature infants differ in BPD and non-BPD infants. Methods Tracheal aspirates were collected during the first week of life. Mononuclear cells were separated, cultured and immunophenotyped by flow cytometry. MSCs colony/cluster ratio was calculated as an index for dysplastic potentials. TGF-β1 was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Setting: Neonatal intensive care unit. Patients Premature infants at risk for BPD. Results A total of 121 preterm infants were enrolled; 27 of them died and among the 94 survivors 23 infants had BPD. MSCs were identified in younger [gestational age (GA): 30.9±1.7 vs. 31.8±1.8, P=0.025] and smaller [birth weight (BW): 1.3±0.28 vs. 1.44±0.37 kg, P=0.04] infants with lower Apgar scores. The recovery rate of MSCs in BPD and non-BPD groups did not differ. BPD group had significantly smaller colony/cluster ratio compared to non-BPD (0.97 vs. 4.25, P=0.002). TGF-β1 was significantly greater in BPD infants (4173.9±864.3 vs. 3705.8±540.5 pg/mL, P=0.021). Conclusion Infants with BPD had different MSCs morphology and greater TGF-β1 expression. The pathogenesis for these morphological changes of resident lung MSCs needs further studying.

Melatonin is a neurohormone associated with sleep and wakefulness and is mainly produced by the pineal gland. Numerous physiological functions of melatonin have been demonstrated including anti-inflammation, suppressing neoplastic growth, circadian and endocrine rhythm regulation, and its potent antioxidant activity as well as its role in regeneration of various tissues including the nervous system, liver, bone, kidney, bladder, skin, and muscle, among others. In this review, we summarize the recent advances related to the multiple protective roles of melatonin receptor agonists, melatonin and N-acetylserotonin (NAS), in brain injury, liver damage, and bone health. Brain injury, including traumatic brain injury, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and newborn perinatal hypoxia-ischemia encephalopathy, is a major cause of mortality and disability. Liver disease causes serious public health problems and various factors including alcohol, chemical pollutants, and drugs induce hepatic damage. Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease in humans. Due in part to an aging population, both the cost of care of fracture patients and the annual fracture rate have increased steadily. Despite the discrepancy in the pathophysiological processes of these disorders, time frames and severity, they may share several common molecular mechanisms. Oxidative stress is considered to be a critical factor in these pathogeneses. We update the current state of knowledge related to the molecular processes, mainly including anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptosis, autophagy dysfunction, and anti-inflammation as well as other properties of melatonin and NAS. Particularly, the abilities of melatonin and NAS to directly scavenge oxygen-centered radicals and toxic reactive oxygen species, and indirectly act through antioxidant enzymes are disscussed. In this review, we summarize the similarities and differences in the protection provided by melatonin and/or NAS in brain, liver and bone damage. We analyze the involvement of melatonin receptor 1A (MT1), melatonin receptor 1B (MT2), and melatonin receptor 1C (MT3) in the protection of melatonin and/or NAS. Additionally, we evaluate their potential clinical applications. The multiple mechanisms of action and multiple organ-targeted properties of melatonin and NAS may contribute to development of promising therapies for clinical trials.

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate surface roughness and microhardness of two bulkfill resin composites after wet and dry finishing. Materials and methods: Two Types of resin composite materials SonicFill (Sonic-activated bulk-fill Nanohybrid resin composite) and X-tra fil (Bulk-fill micro- hybrid light-cured posterior resin composite) were used. Thirty samples were fabricated of each resin composite using a metal mold measuring (6mm x 4mm). Composites were applied to molds and placed between two transparent Mylar strips and pressed flat with a microscopic glass slide. A glass slab was placed on top of the upper Mylar strip and a constant pressure was applied. The samples were cured according to manufacturers’ instructions. The samples were divided into three groups (n=10). Group A: No finishing (control group), Group B: wet finishing under water coolant, and group C dry finishing. Surface roughness was evaluated using a stereomicroscope and microhardness was measured by Vicker’s hardness tester. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA (P 0.05. The control group showed the lowest microhardness mean values in both materials. Dry finishing showed the highest microhardness mean values among the groups (P

Objectives: Pneumothorax (PTX) in newborns is a life-threatening condition associated with high morbidity and mortality especially in premature infants. The frequency of PTX in neonates at different gestational ages (GA) and its impact on neonatal mortality have not been quantified. We aimed to determine: 1) the prevalence of PTX in neonates at different GA from ≤24 weeks to ≥37 weeks, 2) the impact of PTX on mortality per GA, and 3) the impact of PTX on the length of stay (LOS) per GA. Methods: The national Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) for the years of 2006 to 2012 were used. We included all infants admitted to the hospital with a documented GA and ICD9 code of pneumothorax. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted and odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Results: A total of 10 625 036 infants were included; of them 3665 infants (0.034 %) had a diagnosis of PTX, with highest prevalence at ≤24 weeks GA (0.67%), and lowest at term (0.02%). The overall mortality rate of patients with PTX was 8.8%, and greater in preterm (16.3%) vs. term infants (2.7%). The association of mortality with PTX was greatest at GA of 29−32 weeks (OR = 8.55 (95% CI: 6.56−11.13). Infants who survived until discharge had a median of 2–12 days longer length of stay depending on GA category. Conclusions: The prevalence of PTX peaks in infants

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to compare superior mesenteric artery (SMA) flow in premature infants with parenteral and enteral nutrition. METHODS A prospective study was conducted on 2 groups of preterm infants with gestational age of 280/7 to 366/7 weeks: group 1 did not qualify for early enteral feeds and received parenteral nutrition (PN), and group 2 received early enteral feeding. SMA peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and pulsatility index (PI) were measured using Doppler ultrasound before starting feeds at day 1 and at day 5. RESULTS The study recruited 40 infants; 20 in each group. At baseline, PSV, EDV, and PI did not differ between groups. At day 5, enteral nutrition was associated with significant increases in PSV (91.53 ± 29.15 vs 65.49 ± 19.18, P = 0.003) and EDV (15.91 ± 7.01 vs 11.65 ± 5.58, P = 0.026) and a decrease in PI (1.28 ± 0.40 vs 2.48 ± 0.83, P

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and trends for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and the development of bilirubin neurotoxicity in the USA.We used a de-identified national dataset for the years 2002-2017. The study included all newborn inpatients with postnatal age ≤28 days. Cochran-Armitage trend test was used for trend analyses. Regression analyses were performed and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were reported.The study included 57,989,476 infants; of them 53,259,758 (91.8%) were term infants and 4,725,178 (8.2%) were preterm infants. Bilirubin neurotoxicity decreased over the years in term infants (Z = 0.36, p = 0.03) without change in preterm infants (Z = 42.5, p = 0.12). Black neonates were less likely to be diagnosed with hyperbilirubinemia than White neonates (aOR = 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77-0.78, p 0.001) and more likely to develop bilirubin neurotoxicity than White neonates (aOR = 3.0.5, 95% CI: 2.13-4.36, p 0.001). Bilirubin neurotoxicity rate in the overall population was 2.4 per 100,000 live births.Bilirubin neurotoxicity has significantly decreased in term infants and did not change in preterm infants. Despite the less diagnosis of hyperbilirubinemia in Black newborns, they are disproportionately at increased risk of developing bilirubin neurotoxicity when compared to White newborns.In this article, we analyzed the National Inpatient Database. This is the largest study of its kind using data on 57,989,476 neonates. The article has multiple novel findings: (1) it demonstrated that utilization of phototherapy has increased significantly over the years, (2) the rate of kernicterus for neonates decreased in term infants and did not change in preterm babies, (3) kernicterus was mostly encountered in infants without isoimmunization jaundice, and (4) there is a clear racial disparity in neonatal jaundice; although Black newborns have less neonatal jaundice, they are at increased risk of developing kernicterus.

OBJECTIVES To assess the association of umbilical catheters (UC) placement with pericardial effusion (PCE) in newborn infants. STUDY DESIGN We analyzed the National Inpatient Sample dataset. We compared prevalence of PCE in infants with UC versus those without in three subpopulations: infants with birth weight (BW) > 2500 g or GA > 34 weeks, preterm infants with BW

We aimed to test the hypothesis that a lung ultrasound severity score (LUS) and assessment of left ventricular eccentricity index of the interventricular septum (LVEI) by focused heart ultrasound can predict extubation success in mechanically ventilated infants. We conducted a prospective study on premature infants less than 34 weeks' of gestation. LUS was performed on postnatal Days 3 and 7 by an investigator who was masked to infants' ventilator parameters. LVEI and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) were measured at postnatal Day 3. A receiver operator curve was constructed to assess the ability to predict extubation success. Spearman correlation was performed between LVEI and PAP. A total of 104 studies were performed to 66 infants; of them 39 had mild and 65 had moderate-severe lung disease. LUS predicted extubation success with a sensitivity and a specificity of 91% and 69%, respectively. Area under the curve was 0.83 (CI: 0.75-0.91). LVEI did not differ between infants that succeeded and failed extubation. It correlated with PAP during systole (r = .66). We conclude that LUS predicts extubation success in mechanically ventilated preterm infants whereas LVEI correlates with high PAP.

We aimed to assess the association of umbilical catheters placement with pericardial effusion (PCE) in newborn infants after controlling for confounding variables. We analyzed three subpopulations: infants with birth weight (BW) > 2500g, infants with BW 2500g with no hydrops fetalis. Of them, 2583 neonates (0.01%) had PCE. PCE was found in 0.33% of infants with UAC only, 0.22% of infants with UVC only and 0.37% of infants with both catheters (aOR = 2.7, CI:2.4–3.2, p p p 2500g. Of them, 1130 (0.56%) had PCE. PCE was found in 1.46% of infants with UAC, 0.78% of infants with UVC and 0.98% of infants with both catheters (aOR = 2.1, CI:1.8–2.6, p p = 0.036) and a OR = 1.6, CI:1.3–1.9, p p p p Conclusion: Central umbilical catheters are associated with increased risk for pericardial effusion and they may be independently associated with the occurrence of pericardial effusion in infants with congenital heart disease.

ABSTRAC. Background : Hindfoot is frequently injured either duo to trauma, overuse or inflammatory processes. Different diagnoses unfortunately tend to have overlapping clinical signs and symptoms. So, clinicians tend to rely on imaging. Ultrasonography (US) has many benefits for evaluating hindfoot pain. Aim of the study: To review the prevalence of etiologies in patients with hindfoot pain by musculoskeletal ultrasound. Patient and methods: This study included one hundred (100) patients complaining of unilateral or bilateral hindfoot pain ranging in age from 16 to 65 years with no sex specification, excluding patients with chronic rheumatological inflammatory diseases, diabetes mellitus, major ankle trauma, previous foot surgery and any foot or lower limp deformity. All patients were subjected to careful history taking, clinical examination, laboratory investigations and X ray imaging for ankle and foot, giving provisional diagnosis; followed by real-time high resolution ultrasonography for the affected hind foot. Results: By high-resolution ultrasonography for the affected hindfoot of our patients, 181 different lesions were detected, tendon lesions were the commonest lesions detected, with 63 lesions (35%) followed by 59 lesions (32%) for joint & synovial lesions, 31(17%) for planter fascia lesions, 12(7%) for ligament lesions, 9(5%) for Bursal lesions and 7(4%) for subcutaneous lesions. Of these all lesions, 29 lesions (16%) were not clinically suspected. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is an ideal method for testing patients with hindfoot pain and are highly capable of identifying a wide variety of pathologies, some of which may not be clinically identified.

In term and near-term neonates with neonatal encephalopathy, therapeutic hypothermia protocols are well established. The current focus is on how to improve outcomes further and the challenge is to find safe and complementary therapies that confer additional protection, regeneration or repair in addition to cooling. Following hypoxia-ischemia, brain injury evolves over three main phases (latent, secondary and tertiary), each with a different brain energy, perfusion, neurochemical and inflammatory milieu. While therapeutic hypothermia has targeted the latent and secondary phase, we now need therapies that cover the continuum of brain injury that spans hours, days, weeks and months after the initial event. Most agents have several therapeutic actions but can be broadly classified under a predominant action (e.g., free radical scavenging, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, neuroregeneration, and vascular effects). Promising early/secondary phase therapies include Allopurinol, Azithromycin, Exendin-4, Magnesium, Melatonin, Noble gases and Sildenafil. Tertiary phase agents include Erythropoietin, Stem cells and others. We review a selection of promising therapeutic agents on the translational pipeline and suggest a framework for neuroprotection and neurorestoration that targets the evolving injury.

Advances in surgical techniques to tackle critical congenital heart diseases (CHD) have enhanced the survival rates and life expectancy of children born with heart disease. Studies to better acknowledge their neurodevelopmental trajectory have paramount implications.The aim of this study is to examine the nature of brain MRI findings in infants born with critical congenital heart diseases needing intervention in the first 6 months of life, with the help of an MRI scoring system and correlation with long term neurodevelopmental outcomes.Brain MRI scans of eligible infants were extracted from database, reexamined to categorize, and score them into three main functional areas: cognitive/grey matter, motor/white matter, and visual. The scoring system also included stage of myelination and presence of punctate hemorrhages. The correlation of individual and total MRI scores with neurodevelopmental assessment using Bayley Scales for Infant and Toddler Development- version 3 (BSID III) were examined via logistic regression models while controlling for confounding variables.Median (IQR) MRI score was 6 (4-7) with grey matter score of 2 (1-4). Initial BSID III scores were 80 ± 15, 80 ± 18, and 81 ± 19 for cognitive, motor and language components, respectively. The MRI cognitive score had direct correlation with respiratory index prior to surgery (cc = 0.47, p = 0.03) and cross-clamping time (cc = 0.65, p = 0.001). It displayed a significant inverse correlation with language scores for BSID III at 9 months (R = -0.42, p = 0.04) which lost significance in subsequent visits.This pilot study proved the feasibility of correlating structural brain abnormalities in MRI with later brain developmental deficits in infants with CHD. We envision establishing a standardized MRI scoring system to be performed on a large multi-center cohort that would help better predict and measure brain injury in infants with CHDs.

Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants have significant morbidities and higher mortality. The major morbidities are bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Release of proinflammatory cytokines has been implicated in the development of systemic inflammation that contributes to BPD aND ROP. Also, cumulative oxygen exposure in the first 3 days of life and use of mechanical ventilation was associated with 3-fold increase in severe IVH. Therefore, early ventilation and oxygenation may contribute significantly to morbidities in ELBW infants. Respiratory severity score (RSS), a product of Mean airway pressure (MAP) and FiO2, is a steady-state noninvasive assessment tool useful in infants to monitor the severity of respiratory failure. We used RSS, in the first 3 days of life of ELBW infants, to predict neonatal morbidities and mortality.In a single-center retrospective cohort study in an urban setting, convenience sampling of ELBW infants meeting the study criteria who were mechanically ventilated at birth for the first 3 days of life were included. Time-weighted average RSS was plotted on receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve in the first 3 days of life to predict outcomes. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and likelihood ratios were calculated.A total of 69 infants qualified for the study. RSS in the first 3 days significantly predicted the composite outcome of death, ROP, IVH or BPD with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 (This study is the first to show that RSS in the first 3 days of life is a good predictor of composite neonatal outcomes: severe IVH, BPD, ROP, or mortality. Early RSS had a high positive predictive value for the composite outcome of morbidities/mortality and a high specificity for mortality, ROP, and IVH individually.

Background; Despite recent advances in treatment, Rheumatoid arthritis remains a significant cause of morbidity and premature mortality. 14-3-3η protein was found at higher levels of serum and synovial fluid of patients with arthritis . Aim of the work; To assess serum levels of 14-3-3η protein in early rheumatoid arthritis and correlate it with ultrasound findings. Patients and methods; 30 patients with early RA were subjected for measurement of CBC, ESR, CRP, RF, Anti-CCP and 14-3-3η protein. Ultrasonography of both hands was done for all patients. Results; Disease duration was from 3-10 months. Their mean age was 38.2 ± 10.11years, with average disease activity (4.4 ± 0.74), mean ESR,CRP and antiCCP was (40.0 ± 17.75), (18.6 ± 11.78) and (73.5 ± 81.86) respectively . Serum 14-3-3η protein level was 344.8 ± 121.9 ngml with statistically significant difference between control group 38.4 ± 15.3 ngml (p-value < 0.001). Serum 14-3-3η protein was significantly correlated to serum RF (P value = 0.048) and Anti-CCP (P value = 0.003), while it was not significantly correlated to ESR, CRP, or DA28. No significant correlation was found between serum 14-3-3η protein and musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters. Conclusion; 14-3-3η protein was significantly correlated to rheumatoid factor level and Anti-CCP but not correlated to ESR or CRP . 14-3-3η protein was not associated with structural damage in RA.

Introduction: Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) is among the most common congenital heart diseases especially in infants with trisomy 21 (T21). However, the clinical outcomes of AVSD are largely limited to institutional reports. Aim: Using U.S.A. national database, the purpose of this study was to a) to assess the prevalence, mortality and outcomes of AVSD, and b) to determine the impact of T21 on its outcomes. Methods: We queried The US National Inpatient Sample from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for patients with AVSD with and without T21 in the period 2002-2017. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, mortality, and healthcare utilization were evaluated for AVSD comparing those with and without T21. Results: During the study period, a total of 20,628,538 infants were born in the in the US, of them 67,020 (0.3%) had AVSD. T21 was diagnosed in 34,825 (52%). The incidence of AVSD ranged from 4.5-7.4/year. Common associated CHD were transposition of great arteries, tetralogy of Fallot, and truncus arteriosus at 10.9%, 4%, 0.4% respectively. The association with CHD was not different between AVSD with and without T21. During study period, 92% of patients underwent surgical repair. AVSD patients with T21 had greater mortality (4.4% vs 1.1%, p Conclusion: Almost half of infants with AVSD had T21. T21 is associated with greater mortality and pulmonary hypertension, longer hospitalization and less arrhythmia.

To assess prevalence and outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in very-low-birth-weight infants. This cross-sectional study utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) dataset for years 2000–2017. All premature infants with birth weight (BW)

We aimed to assess the prevalence and outcomes of esophageal perforation in very low birth weight infants. This retrospective cohort study utilized the US National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 2000 to 2017. A total of 1,755,418 very low birth weight infants were included; of them, 861 (0.05%) were diagnosed with esophageal perforation. The majority (77.9%) of infants were in the birth weight category1000 g and 77.7% in infants ≤ 28 weeks of gestation. The majority (73%) of infants were tracheally intubated and received mechanical ventilation; of them, 24 infants (2.8%) had tracheostomy. Mortality associated with esophageal perforation was 25.8%. Regression analysis did not show an association between esophageal perforation and increased mortality in preterm infants (aOR = 1.0, CI: 0.83-1.20, p = 0.991). Procedures encountered in these infants include thoracentesis (10.8%), laparotomy (4.1%), percutaneous abdominal drainage (4.1%), and gastrostomy tube insertion (6.2%), whereas the rest of the infants were managed conservatively. There was a significant trend for increasing prevalence of esophageal perforation over the years.Conclusion: Esophageal perforation does not independently increase the risk for mortality in very low birth weight infants. The increasing prevalence is possibly related to increased care offered to infants at limits of viability in recent years. What is Known: • Knowledge about esophageal perforation is derived from anecdotal single-center case reports. • Esophageal perforation in neonates is mostly iatrogenic. • It is considered a critical complication that is associated with high mortality. What is New: • This is the first and largest national study on prevalence of esophageal perforation in preterm infants. • Esophageal perforation does not independently increase the risk for mortality. • Septicemia and pneumothorax are frequent complications to esophageal perforation.

To evaluate the role of erythrocyte complement receptor 1 (ECR1) gene in the predisposition to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), we studied 50 infants with RDS and 50 controls. Real-time polymerase chain reaction allelic discrimination analysis of A3650G (rs2274567) and genotyping of the alleles (HindIII) were performed. Allele L of HindIII restricted single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with the severity of RDS. Duration of oxygen and ventilation in genotypes AA and AG of A3650G SNP was longer than genotype GG (17.6 ± 19.4 and 8.6 ± 4.5 days, p = 0.01) and (8.9 ± 11.9 and 3.9 ± 3.53 days, p = 0.03), respectively. A3650G and HINDIII digested gene polymorphisms of ECR1 may be of little importance for RDS.

This study examined the correlation of cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SctOPreterm infants with birth weight (BW)1500 g were monitored with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during the first 28 days of life. SctOA total of 70 preterm infants were included. Mean SctOThere is an inverse relationship between SctO

ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that a lung ultrasound severity score (LUSsc) and assessment of left ventricular eccentricity index of the interventricular septum (LVEI) by focused heart ultrasound can predict extubation success in mechanically ventilated preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).DesignProspective observational study of premature infants SettingLevel III neonatal intensive care unit, Cairo, Egypt.ResultsA total of 104 studies were performed to 66 infants; of them 39 had mild RDS (LUSsc 0–9) and 65 had moderate-severe RDS (score ≥10). LUSsc predicted extubation success with a sensitivity and a specificity of 91% and 69%; the positive and negative predictive values were 61% and 94%, respectively. Area under the curve (AUC) was 0.83 (CI: 0.75-0.91). LVEI did not differ between infants that succeeded and failed extubation. However, it correlated with pulmonary artery pressure during both systole (r=0.62) and diastole (r=0.53) and with hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (r=0.27 and r=0.46, respectively).ConclusionLUSsc predicts extubation success in preterm infants with RDS whereas LVEI correlates with high PAP.

The gut–brain axis may contribute to the pathophysiology of a variety of neuropsychiatric diseases and chronic illnesses of adulthood. A literature search was completed using PubMed and the following keywords: “gut microbiota,” “breast milk,” “schizophrenia,” “irritable bowel syndrome,” “obesity,” “anorexia and bulimia nervosa,” and “depression.” The search was limited to articles available in English and published in the past 20 years. The human microbiota is essential to normal structure and function. The relationship of microbiota and the central nervous system is called the gut–brain axis, which may be responsible for many pathologic conditions. Research is needed to confirm this association and unveil the pathogenesis of this phenomenon.

Objectives To examine the risk of premature delivery (PD) and small for gestational age (SGA) among pregnant teens with depressive disorders (DD), and the impact of race/ethnicity on these birth outcomes. Design/Methods We examined the hospital discharge records of pregnant mothers between the age of 13–18 year old who gave birth in the years 1994, 2000, 2006, and 2012 in the National Inpatient Sample database. We calculated the risk for PD and SGA among pregnant teens with and without DD in the overall population and within each race/ethnicity. Results Weighted sample included 1,023,586 pregnant teenage women. Prevalence of DD among teens was 0.93%, with a significantly increasing trend from 0.29% in 1994 to 2.01% in 2012 (p

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus represents high proportion of diabetics which is mainly due to obesity and insulin resistance. Obesity is asscoiated with many co-morbidities like type 2 DM, cardiovascular (CV) complications, hypertension and dyslipidymia. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) was used as the first stage in a multistage procedure in obese patients with at least two severe co-morbidities. Two years after sleeve gastrectomy, more than 50% of those patients showed resolution of their co morbidities. Bariatric surgery has emerged as a highly effective management for morbid obesity and many related co-morbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, it has recently been approved that LSG is more than a gastric restrictive operation. It has been suggested that the changes in ghrelin and peptide YY after LSG may help to explain the weight loss results. So the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on obese patients with type 2 DM. Methods: This study was conducted on 30 obese patients suffering from T2DM (9 males and 21 females) who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at the Ain Shams University Hospital (El-Demerdash) and Ain Shams Specialized Hospital. Follow up of the patients was done for a period of 6 months to investigate their HbA1c changes and diabetic status. Results: Our results showed significant reduction in the mean level of HbA1c (p < 0.001) at 6 months follow-up post-surgery, with 16.7% (5 patients) completely cured from T2DM while 40% (12 patients) became pre-diabetic and 43.3% (13 patients) remained diabetic. Conclusion: Most patients with type 2 DM experience resolution or improvement in diabetic status after LSG. LSG might play an important role as a metabolic therapy for patients with type 2 DM.

Conventional phototherapy converts unconjugated bilirubin to its oxidation products and consequently causes oxidative stress with lipid peroxidation products. New devices that deliver intensive phototherapy are efficacious in treating severe hyperbilirubinemia and minimizing the need for exchange transfusions. However, the oxidative stress status when using these devices has not been explored. Therefore, we aimed to study the impact of using intensive phototherapy on the oxidant-antioxidant status in severely jaundiced neonates.This prospective case-control study included term newborns admitted with severe hyperbilirubinemia managed with intensive phototherapy. Baseline oxidant-antioxidant concentrations were compared to healthy controls and re-measured after 8 h of intensive phototherapy exposure.The study included 40 cases with severe jaundice and 40 non-jaundiced apparently normal controls. Total serum bilirubin at enrollment was 23.4 ± 4.2 mg/dl that significantly decreased after 8 h of therapy to 15.4 ± 3.4 mg/dl (p 0.001). The decline of total serum bilirubin was 1 mg/dl/h. Bilirubin: albumin ratio decreased from 3.45 ± 0.28 to 2.7 ± 0.21 (p 0.001). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total oxidative stress (TOS) concentrations were lower in cases (p 0.001, p 0.001, p = 0.049, and p 0.001 respectively) compared to controls. Following 8 h of intensive phototherapy, further decline of TAC (p = 0.016) with increased concentrations of TOS (p = 0.005) were noted. SOD and MDA did not change.Although efficacious, intensive phototherapy was associated with increased oxidative stress. The clinical correlates for harms related to such oxidative stress need further studying.