Concept Analysis of Growth Failure in Preterm Infants in the NICU

Characterization of D-amino acids in colostral, transitional, and mature preterm human milk

D-Amino acids are regulatory molecules that affect biological processes. Therefore, being able to accurately detect and quantify these compounds is important for understanding their impact on nutrition and health. There is a paucity of information regarding D-amino acids in human milk. We developed a fast method for simultaneous analysis of amino acid enantiomers in human milk using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The method enables the separation of 41 amino acids without chemical derivatization. Our results revealed that human milk from mothers of preterm infants contains concentrations of D-amino acids that range from 0.5 to 45% that of their L-counterparts and that levels of most D-amino acids decrease as the milk production matures. Moreover, we found that Holder pasteurization of milk does not cause racemization of L-amino acids. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe percentages of D-amino acid levels in human milk; changes in D-amino acid concentration as the milk matures; and the effect of Holder pasteurization on D- and L-amino acid concentrations in human milk.

Optimizing High-risk Infant Follow-up in Nonresearch-based Paradigms: The New England Follow-up Network

OBJECTIVES

To establish the first regional quality improvement collaborative solely dedicated to follow-through care of high-risk infants after Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge and to characterize extremely low birth weight (ELBW) follow-up in New England.

METHODS

Eleven of 14 follow-up programs in New England partnered with the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) ELBW project for an initial data collection project. We collected information about the health status and developmental outcomes of infants born ≤1,000 g or younger than 28 weeks 2014-2016 at the 18-24 months corrected for gestational age (CGA) follow-up visit. VON collected and compiled the data.

RESULTS

Of 993 eligible infants, 516 (52.0%) had follow-up visits. The rehospitalization rate was 33.9%, mostly respiratory illness. Ninety-six children (19.3%) had weight less than 10th percentile and 44 (8.9%) had weight less than third percentile at 18-24 months. Only 170 (61.4%) children had recommended hearing screening after NICU discharge. Forty-six (9.1%) had cerebral palsy; 81 of the 441 infants that completed all 3 sections of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, third edition (18.4%) had any composite score less than 70. Over half of the social and demographic data were missing.

CONCLUSION

Most quality initiatives in neonatology stop at NICU discharge. This first project by the New England Follow-up Network showed a low rate for clinical follow-up. It demonstrated many opportunities to improve postdischarge follow-through specific to NICU-based care. Future projects will aim to improve the quality of follow-through services through collaborative learning, data sharing, and comparative outcomes.

Association of Adverse Hearing, Growth, and Discharge Age Outcomes With Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Infection in Infants With Very Low Birth Weight

IMPORTANCE

Studies suggest that postnatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can lead to long-term morbidity in infants with very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g), including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and neurodevelopmental impairment. However, to date, the association of postnatal CMV with hearing, growth, and length of stay among VLBW infants is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the risk for failed hearing screen, increased postnatal age at discharge, or decreased growth at discharge in VLBW infants with postnatal CMV infection compared with CMV-uninfected infants and to compare the risk for other major outcomes of prematurity, including BPD and NEC, in infants with and without postnatal CMV infection.

PARTICIPANTS

This multicenter retrospective cohort study included VLBW infants from 302 neonatal intensive care units managed by the Pediatrix Medical Group from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2016. Infants hospitalized on postnatal day 21 with a diagnosis of postnatal CMV and hearing screen results after a postmenstrual age of 34 weeks were included in the study population. Data were analyzed from December 11, 2017, to June 14, 2019.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Infants with and without postnatal CMV infection were matched using propensity scores. Poisson and linear regression were used to examine the association between postnatal CMV and the risk of failed hearing screen, postnatal age at discharge, growth, BPD, and NEC.

RESULTS

A total of 304 infants with postnatal CMV were identified, and 273 of these infants (89.8%; 155 boys [56.8%]) were matched with 273 infants without postnatal CMV (148 boys [54.2%]). Hearing screen failure occurred in 45 of 273 infants (16.5%) with postnatal CMV compared with 25 of 273 infants (9.2%) without postnatal CMV (risk ratio [RR], 1.80; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.85; P = .01). Postnatal CMV was also associated with an increased postnatal age at discharge of 11.89 days (95% CI, 6.72 to 17.06 days; P < .001) and lower weight-for-age z score (-0.23; 95% CI, -0.39 to -0.07; P = .005). Analysis confirmed an increased risk of BPD (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.44; P < .001), previously reported on infants from this cohort from 1997 to 2012, but not an increased risk of NEC after postnatal day 21 (RR, 2.00; 95% CI, 0.18 to 22.06; P = .57).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These data suggest that postnatal CMV infection is associated with lasting sequelae in the hearing and growth status of VLBW infants and with prolonged hospitalization. Prospective studies are needed to determine the full effects of postnatal CMV infection and whether antiviral treatment reduces the associated morbidity.

Applying Methods for Postnatal Growth Assessment in the Clinical Setting: Evaluation in a Longitudinal Cohort of Very Preterm Infants

AIM

To analyze different methods to assess postnatal growth in a cohort of very premature infants (VPI) in a clinical setting and identify potential early markers of growth failure.

METHODS

Study of growth determinants in VPI (≤32 weeks) during hospital stay. Nutritional intakes and clinical evolution were recorded. Growth velocity (GV: g/kg/day), extrauterine growth restriction (%) (EUGR: weight < 10th centile, z-score < -1.28) and postnatal growth failure (PGF: fall in z-score > 1.34) at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) were calculated. Associations between growth and clinical or nutritional variables were explored (linear and logistic regression).

RESULTS

Sample: 197 VPI. GV in IUGR patients was higher than in non-IUGRs (28 days of life and discharge). At 36 weeks PMA 66.0% of VPIs, including all but one of the IUGR patients, were EUGR. Prevalence of PGF at the same time was 67.4% (IUGR patients: 48.1%; non-IUGRs: 70.5% (p = 0.022)). Variables related to PGF at 36 weeks PMA were initial weight loss (%), need for oxygen and lower parenteral lipids in the first week.

CONCLUSIONS

The analysis of z-scores was better suited to identify postnatal growth faltering. PGF could be reduced by minimising initial weight loss and assuring adequate nutrition in patients at risk.