Current diagnosis and treatment practice for pulmonary hypertension in bronchopulmonary dysplasia-A survey study in Germany (PUsH BPD)

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the most severe complication in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and associated with significant mortality. Diagnostic and treatment strategies, however, still lack standardization. By the use of a survey study (PH in BPD), we assessed clinical practice (diagnosis, treatment, follow-up) in preterm infants with early postnatal persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) as well as at risk for or with established BPD-associated PH between 06/2018 and 10/2020 in two-thirds of all German perinatal centers with >70 very low birthweight infants/year including their cardiology departments and outpatient units. Data were analyzed descriptively by measures of locations and distributional shares. In routine postnatal care, clinical presentation and echocardiography were reported as the main diagnostic modalities to screen for PPHN in preterm infants, whereas biomarkers brain natriuretic peptide/N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide were infrequently used. For PPHN treatment, inhaled nitric oxide was used in varying frequency. The majority of participants agreed to prescribe diuretics and steroids (systemic/inhaled) for infants at risk for or with established BPD-associated PH and strongly agreed on recommending respiratory syncytial virus immunization and the use of home monitoring upon discharge. Reported oxygen saturation targets, however, varied in these patients in in- and outpatient care. The survey reveals shared practices in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for preterms with PPHN and BPD-associated PH in Germany. Future studies are needed to agree on detailed echo parameters and biomarkers to diagnose and monitor disease next to a much-needed agreement on the use of pulmonary vasodilators, steroids, and diuretics as well as target oxygen saturation levels.

A novel magnetic resonance imaging-based scoring system to predict outcome in neonates born preterm with intraventricular haemorrhage

AIM

To create a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based scoring system specific to neonates born preterm with intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), which could serve as a reliable prognostic indicator for later development and might allow for improved outcome prediction, individually-tailored parental counselling, and clinical decision-making.

METHOD

This retrospective, two-center observational cohort study included 103 infants born preterm with IVH (61 males, 42 females; median gestational age 26wks 6d), born between 2000 and 2016. Term-equivalent MRI was evaluated using a novel scoring system consisting of 11 items. A total MRI score was calculated and correlated with neurodevelopment between 2 years and 3 years of age. Prediction models for outcome were defined.

RESULTS

The proposed MRI scoring system showed high correlation and strong predictive ability with regard to later cognitive and motor outcome. The prediction models were translated into easy-to-use tables, allowing developmental risk assessment.

INTERPRETATION

The proposed MRI-based scoring system was created especially for infants born preterm with IVH and enables a comprehensive assessment of important brain areas as well as potential additional abnormalities commonly associated with IVH. Thus, it better represents the severity of brain damage when compared with the conventional IVH classification. Our scoring system should provide clinicians with valuable information, to optimize parental counselling and clinical decision-making.

aEEG as a useful tool for neuromonitoring in critically ill children - Current evidence and knowledge gaps

AIM

Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is used in children beyond neonatal age, but systematic investigations have been lacking. This mini-review summarised aEEG studies on children aged one month to 18 years, evaluated the usefulness of aEEG and identified knowledge gaps or limitations.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed database for articles published in English up to September 2020, and 23 papers were identified.

RESULTS

aEEG was frequently used to compensate for the absence of continuous full-channel EEG monitoring, particularly for detecting seizures. Interpreting background patterns was based on neonatal classifications, as reference values for older infants and children are lacking. It is possible that aEEG could predict outcomes after paediatric cardiac arrests and other conditions. Gaps in our knowledge exist with regard to normal values in healthy children and the effects of sedation on aEEG background patterns in children.

CONCLUSION

The main application of aEEG was detecting and treating paediatric seizures. Further research should determine reference values and investigate the potential to predict outcome after critical events or in acute neurological disease. It is likely that aEEG will play a role in paediatric critical care in the future.