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Aim: The current study determined survival, short-term neonatal morbidity and predictors for death or adverse outcome of very preterm infants in Austria., Methods: This population-based cohort study included 5197 very preterm infants (53.3% boys) born between 2011 and 2016 recruited from the Austrian Preterm Outcome Registry. Main outcome measures were gestational age-related mortality and major short-term morbidities., Results: Overall, survival rate of all live-born infants included was 91.6% and ranged from 47.1% and 73.4% among those born at 23 and 24 weeks of gestation to 84.9% and 88.2% among infants born at 25 and 26 weeks to more than 90.0% among those with a gestational age of 27 weeks or more. The overall prevalence of chronic lung disease, necrotising enterocolitis requiring surgery, intraventricular haemorrhage Grades 3-4, and retinopathy of prematurity Grades 3-5 was 10.0%, 2.1%, 5.5%, and 3.6%, respectively. Low gestational age, low birth weight, missing or incomplete course of antenatal steroids, male sex, and multiple births were significant risk predictors for death or adverse short-term outcome., Conclusion: In this national cohort study, overall survival rates were high and short-term morbidity rate was low., (©2019 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.)

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most frequent chronic lung disease in infancy and is associated with neonatal comorbidity and impairment in pulmonary and neurodevelopmental (ND) long-term outcome., Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center, cohort study to compare a cohort of very preterm infants (gestational age [GA], 24 +0 -28 +6 weeks) with BPD (n = 44), with a cohort of GA-matched preterm infants without BPD (n = 44) with regard to neonatal morbidity, incidence of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), ND outcome and growth to 2 years' corrected age (CA) and preschool age., Results: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (incidence, 11.3%) was associated with a higher rate of neonatal pneumonia (26% vs 7%, P = 0.001), longer total duration of mechanical ventilation (mean days, 21 vs 13, P < 0.001), and a higher rate of pulmonary hypertension (20.5% vs 0%, P = 0.002) and of severe retinopathy of prematurity (13.6% vs 0%, P = 0.026). Incidence of LRTI was significantly higher in the BPD infants (50% vs 26%, P = 0.025). ND outcome did not differ between the two groups. Growth at neonatal intensive care unit discharge was similar. In the BPD cohort, rate of weight < 10th percentile was higher at 2 years' CA (52% vs 30%, P = 0.041) and rate of head circumference < 10th percentile was higher at preschool age (59% vs 27%, P = 0.028)., Conclusion: Neonatal respiratory morbidity was significantly higher in the BPD cohort, but long-term ND outcome did not differ. Infants with BPD had poorer growth., (© 2019 The Authors. Pediatrics International published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Pediatric Society.)

Background: ECMO therapy is worldwide declining in the neonatal population; hence, its therapeutic value is sometimes questioned. Objectives: To report our experience with neonatal ECMO due to respiratory failure over a 28 year time period. Methods: Retrospective single center observational study including all neonates admitted to ECMO due to respiratory failure between 1989 and 2016 at Graz, Austria. Data were collected regarding survival rate, duration of ECMO, complications, length of hospital stay, changes over time, and follow-up. Results: Sixty-seven neonates were admitted and 43 (64%) needed ECMO-median birth weight 3390 grams (range 1810-4150) and gestational age 39 weeks (32-43). Survival rate was 65% (28/43); with higher rates in meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) 89% vs. congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) 46% and septic shock 44% ( p = 0.005 and p = 0.006, respectively). ECMO duration was median 5 days (1-30) and veno-arterial ECMO (52%) dominated. Need for ECMO therapy decreased over time ( p < 0.001). Complications occurred in 31 (72%) neonates. Five neonates had cerebral hemorrhages (11.4%) and four had cerebral infarction (9.1%). Of 26 survivors 17 (65%) showed normal neurodevelopmental outcome at median follow-up of 73 months. Motor deficits were present in one case, cognitive deficits in 9 (35%). Median length of hospital stay was 78 days in those with deficits and 29 in those with normal neurodevelopmental outcome ( p < 0.001). Conclusions: Survival rate did not change over the study time but indications for ECMO did. Cognitive impairment was the major long-term deficit following neonatal ECMO being associated with longer hospital stay.

Objective: Cystic periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is associated with moderate to severe physical and mental handicaps in preterm infants. We hypothesized whether or not those handicaps were associated with a poorer quality of life (QOL) of affected children and their families compared to matched controls., Patients and Methods: All children with the diagnosis PVL collected from a local database of the Division of Neonatology of the Medical University of Graz, Austria, and born between 1997 and 2008 were included in the study group. Preterm infants matched for gestational age, birth weight, year of birth, and gender without PVL served as controls. Selected perinatal data and neurological outcome were documented. The interview of the parents was conducted using the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (CHQ-PF50), German version. The CHQ-PF50 consists of 50 items divided over 11 multi-item scales and 2 single-item questions., Results: The CHQ-PF50 was answered by 21 parents of the study (26%) and 44 of the control (39%) group. Cases were diagnosed as having developmental delay, dystonia, strabismus, central visual impairment, seizures, and cerebral palsy (81 vs. 7%, p < 0.001) more common than controls. Analysis of the CHQ-PF 50 revealed significantly poorer results for cases regarding physical health (physical functioning: p < 0.001, physical social limitations: p < 0.001, and physical summary score: p < 0.001). Several psychosocial categories (behavior, mental health, and self-esteem) and the psychosocial summary score did not differ between groups. Only two categories (parental impact concerning time p = 0.004 and family activities: p = 0.026) revealed significantly poorer results in the cases as it was for the global category for health (p = 0.009)., Conclusion: Children with PVL had an overall poorer QOL regarding physical aspects. However, PVL was not generally associated with a poorer QOL regarding psychosocial aspects.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate neurological short-term effects of craniosacral therapy as an ideal form of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) due to the soft kinaesthetic stimulation., Methods: Included were 30 preterm infants, with a gestational age between 25 and 33 weeks, who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the University Hospital of Graz, Austria. The infants were randomized either into the intervention group (IG) which received standardised craniosacral therapy, or the control group (CG) which received standard care. To guarantee that only preterm infants with subsequent normal neurodevelopment were included, follow up was done regularly at the corrected age (= actual age in weeks minus weeks premature) of 12 and 24 months. After 2 years 5 infants had to be excluded (IG; n = 12; CG: n = 13). General Movements (GMs) are part of the spontaneous movement repertoire and are present from early fetal life onwards until the end of the first half year of life. To evaluate the immediate result of such an intervention, we selected the General Movement Assessment (GMA) as an appropriate tool. Besides the global GMA (primary outcome) we used as detailed GMA, the General Movement Optimality Score (GMOS- secondary outcome), based on Prechtl's optimality concept. To analyse GMOS (secondary outcome) a linear mixed model with fixed effects for session, time point (time point refers to the comparisons of the measurements before vs. after each session) and intervention (IG vs. CG), random effect for individual children and a first order autoregressive covariance structure was used for calculation of significant differences between groups and interactions. Following interaction terms were included in the model: session*time point, session*intervention, time point*intervention and session*time point*intervention. Exploratory post hoc analyses (interaction: session*time point*intervention) were performed to determine group differences for all twelve measurement (before and after all 6 sessions) separately., Results: Between groups no difference in the global GMA (primary outcome) could be observed. The GMOS (secondary outcome) did not change from session to session (main effect session: p = 0.262) in the IG or the CG. Furthermore no differences between IG and CG (main effect group: p = 0.361) and no interaction of time*session could be observed (p = 0.658). Post hoc analysis showed a trend toward higher values before (p = 0.085) and after (p = 0.075) the first session in CG compared to IG. At all other time points GMOS were not significantly different between groups., Conclusion: We were able to indicate that a group of "healthy" preterm infants undergoing an intervention with craniosacral therapy (IG) showed no significant changes in GMs compared to preterm infants without intervention (CG). In view of the fact that the global GMA (primary outcome) showed no difference between groups and the GMOS (detailed GMA-secondary outcome) did not deteriorate in the IG, craniosacral therapy seems to be safe in preterm infants., Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00004258 .

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe features of cystic periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) in a large consecutive cohort study including long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up., Methods: We performed a retrospective single-centre cohort study including all preterm infants ≤35 weeks of gestational age with PVL diagnosed by ultrasound scans (US) from a tertiary care university hospital between 1988 and 2012., Results: The majority of 160 consecutively diagnosed cases had a gestational age between 28 and 32 weeks (60.6%), and male sex was predominant (60.6%). The most common associated clinical findings included respiratory distress syndrome, preterm premature rupture of the membranes, and chorioamnionitis (57.5, 49.4, and 39.4%, respectively). Infants presented with apnoeas in 66.3 and neonatal seizures in 23.1%. Any kind of respiratory support was present in 75.0%. Associated low-grade intraventricular haemorrhage was evident in 33.1, high-grade haemorrhage in 9.4%. Cysts were located on both hemispheres in 75% and PVL grades 3 and 4 were predominant (75.6%). Neurodevelopmental follow-up of 146 cases at a median age of 72 months revealed normal development in 11.0, mental retardation in 50.0, and cerebral palsy in 83.6%. Visual impairment was diagnosed in 21.9% and hearing impairment in one case. A quarter of cases (27.4%) developed seizure disorders. Outcome data were significantly better in unilateral compared to bilateral PVL., Conclusions: Long-term neurodevelopmental outcome of bilateral PVL always was adverse and different from unilateral PVL. The latter might be negatively influenced by associated intra- and periventricular haemorrhages.

Objective: To assess neonatal outcome and 2-year follow-up of pregnancies complicated by second trimester preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM)., Methods: A retrospective review of obstetric and neonatal records for 87 pregnancies (56 singletons, 6 twins, 1 triplet) with PPROM between 14+0 and 24+6 weeks of gestation. Patients received antibiotics and steroids for fetal lung maturity once they reached 24 weeks of gestation. Placentas were examined histopathologically. Surviving infants were followed-up at 2 years of age., Results: Median latency from PPROM to delivery was 4 days. Survival rate of 56 singletons was 45% (25/56); and 13 died in hospital. Survival rate of infants discharged from hospital was 23% (12/56). Chorioamnionitis was seen histologically in 42% (5/12) of surviving infants compared with 92% (12/13) of those that died in hospital. Of the 12 surviving infants, 50% had a normal neurological and developmental outcome at 2 years of age., Conclusion: Gestational age, birth weight, and histologic chorioamnionitis have prognostic importance in pregnancies complicated by PPROM. Surviving infants have a 50% chance of achieving an adequate health status at 2 years of age.

Background: Assessment of neurologic and developmental outcome at 2 years age of infants with gestational age (GA)<27 weeks, born between 1996-2001., Patients: A total of 110 live-born preterm infants with GA<27 weeks., Methods: Main outcome criterions: Neurologic examination (according to Touwen) and classification of cerebral palsy by using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) at the corrected age of 1 and 2 years; assessment of mental and psychomotor development by using the Griffith Mental Development scales at the corrected age of 2 years; growth assessment at birth, 1 and 2 years., Results: Mortality was 52%. Regular follow up was performed in 48 (91%) of the 53 surviving infants. Neurologic outcome: at 1 year age: 2% nonambulant cerebral palsy, 25% mild neurologic signs and 73% normal; at 2 years age: 4% nonambulant cerebral palsy, 2% ambulant cerebral palsy, 4% mild neurologic signs and 90% normal neurology. Developmental outcome at 2 years age: 40% DQ>-1 SD, 6% DQ between -1 SD and -2 SD (mild delay), 35% DQ between -2 SD and -3 SD (moderate delay) and 19% DQ<-3 SD (severe delay). Overall disability was found in 64%, severe disability in 27% of the infants. Profound growth failure in weight and head circumference<3rd centile at 2 years age was recorded in 39 and 19% of the infants, respectively., Conclusion: Developmental delay is very common in preterm infants<27 GA and exceeds the number of neurological disabilities (including cerebral palsy).