There is no consensus regarding how the growth of preterm infants should be monitored or what constitutes their ideal pattern of growth, especially after term-corrected age. The concept that the ...growth of preterm infants should match that of healthy fetuses is not substantiated by data and, in practice, is seldom attained, particularly for very preterm infants. Hence, by hospital discharge, many preterm infants are classified as postnatal growth-restricted. In a recent systematic review, 61 longitudinal reference charts were identified, most with considerable limitations in the quality of gestational age estimation, anthropometric measures, feeding regimens, and how morbidities were described. We suggest that the correct comparator for assessing the growth of preterm infants, especially those who are moderately or late preterm, is a cohort of preterm newborns (not fetuses or term infants) with an uncomplicated intrauterine life and low neonatal and infant morbidity. Such growth monitoring should be comprehensive, as recommended for term infants, and should include assessments of postnatal length, head circumference, weight/length ratio, and, if possible, fat and fat-free mass. Preterm postnatal growth standards meeting these criteria are now available and may be used to assess preterm infants until 64 weeks' postmenstrual age (6 months' corrected age), the time at which they overlap, without the need for any adjustment, with the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards for term newborns. Despite remaining nutritional gaps, 90% of preterm newborns (ie, moderate to late preterm infants) can be monitored by using the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century Preterm Postnatal Growth Standards from birth until life at home.
Over the last 20 years, the incidence of vertical HIV transmission has decreased from 25%–42% to less than 1%. Although there are no signs of infection, the health of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) ...infants is notoriously affected during the first months of life, with opportunistic infections being the most common disease. Some studies have reported effects on the vertical transfer of antibodies, but little is known about the subclass distribution of these antibodies. We proposed to evaluate the total IgG concentration and its subclasses in HIV+ mothers and HEU pairs and to determine which maternal factors condition their levels. In this study, plasma from 69 HEU newborns, their mothers, and 71 control pairs was quantified via immunoassays for each IgG isotype. Furthermore, we followed the antibody profile of HEUs throughout the first year of life. We showed that mothers present an antibody profile characterized by high concentrations of IgG1 and IgG3 but reduced IgG2, and HEU infants are born with an IgG subclass profile similar to that of their maternal pair. Interestingly, this passively transferred profile could remain influenced even during their own antibody production in HEU infants, depending on maternal conditions such as CD4+ T-cell counts and maternal antiretroviral treatment. Our findings indicate that HEU infants exhibit an altered IgG subclass profile influenced by maternal factors, potentially contributing to their increased susceptibility to infections.
Evaluating the ABO/RhD blood group and the direct antiglobulin Coombs test (DAT) at birth is recommended good practice, but there is variability in its universal implementation. This study aims to ...show the comparative results in various variables of clinical impact during the hospital stay of neonates with positive DAT compared with those with negative DAT, based on the systematic detection of the ABO/RhD group and DAT at birth.
Newborns between 2017 and 2020 in a high-risk pregnancy care hospital were included. The ABO/RhD and DAT group was determined in umbilical cord samples or the first 24 hours of life. Demographic, maternal, and neonatal variables were recorded. The association between the variables was estimated using the odds ratio (OR).
8721 pairs were included. The DAT was positive in 239 newborns (2.7%), with the variables associated with positive PDC being maternal age > 40 years (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.3), birth by cesarean section (1.4; 1.1-2.0), mother group O (6.4; 3.8-11.8), prematurity (3.6; 2.6-5.0), birth weight < 2500 g (2.1; 1.6-2.8), newborn group A (15.7; 10.7-23.1) and group B (17.6; 11.4-27.2), hemoglobin at birth < 13.5 g/dl (4.5; 2.8-7.1) and reticulocytosis > 9% (1.9; 1.2 to 3.1).
The frequency of neonatal positive PDC was 2.7%, with a significant association with maternal/neonatal incompatibility to the ABO and RhD group, with a substantial impact on various neonatal variables. These results support the policy of universal implementation at the birth of the ABO/RhD and DAT determination.
Abstract
Objectives
To develop quality of care (QoC) indicators, evaluate the quality of the processes of care (QPC) and clinical outcomes, and analyze the association between the QPC and severe ...clinical outcomes of preterm newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Design
Mixed methods approach: (1) development of QoC indicators via modified RAND/UCLA method; (2) cross-sectional study of QoC evaluation and (3) multiple logistic regression analysis to ascertain the association between the QPC and severe clinical outcomes.
Setting
Two NICUs belonged to the Mexican Institute of Social Security in Mexico City.
Participants
About 489 preterm neonates (<37 weeks of gestation) without severe congenital anomalies.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
The QoC indicators; ≥60% of recommended QPC and severe clinical outcomes.
Results
The QoC included 10 QPC indicators across four domains: respiratory, nutrition and metabolism, infectious diseases, and screening, and five outcome indicators. The lower QPC indicators were for the nutrition and metabolism domain (17.8% started enteral feeding with human milk, and 20.7% received sodium bicarbonate appropriately). The higher QPC indicator was for the screening domain (97.6% of neonates <30 weeks gestation underwent early (≤14 days) transfontanelar ultrasound). The mean recommended QPC that neonates received was 47.5%. Only 26.6% of neonates received ≥60% of recommended QPC. About 60.7% of neonates developed severe clinical outcomes including mortality and healthcare-related major morbidity. Receiving ≥60% of recommended QPC was associated with a decrease of nearly half of odds of severe clinical outcomes.
Conclusion
The evaluation of the QoC in NICUs is essential to address modifiable gaps in quality.
Introduction
HIV‐exposed uninfected (HEU) newborns suffer from higher risks of opportunistic infections during the first months of life compared to HIV‐unexposed uninfected (HUU) newborns. ...Alterations in thymic mass, amounts of T helper (Th) cells, T‐cell receptor diversity, and activation markers have been found in HEU newborns, suggesting alterations in T cell ontogeny and differentiation. However, little is known about the ability of these cells to produce specialized Th responses from CD4+ T cells.
Method
To characterize the Th cell profile, we evaluated the frequency of Th1 (CD183+CD194−CD196−/CXCR3+CCR4−CCR6−), Th2 (CD183−CD194+CD196−/CXCR3−CCR4+CCR6−), Th17 (CD183−CD194+CD196+/CXCR3−CCR4+CCR6+), and CD4+CD25++ blood T‐cell phenotypes in 50 HEU and 25 HUU newborns. Early activation markers on CD4+ T cells and the Th cytokine profile produced from mononuclear cells under polyclonal T cell stimulation were also studied. Additionally, we probed the ability of CD4+ T cells to differentiate into interferon (IFN)‐γ‐producing Th1 CD4+ T cells in vitro.
Results
Lower percentages of differentiated Th1, Th2, Th17, and CD4+CD25++ T cells were found in blood from HEU newborns than in blood from HUU newborns. However, polyclonally stimulated Th cells showed a similar ability to express CD69 and CD279 but produced less secreted interleukin (IL)‐2 and IL‐4. Interestingly, under Th1 differentiation conditions, the percentages of CD4+IFN‐γ+ T cells and soluble IFN‐γ were higher in HEU newborns than in HUU newborns.
Conclusion
HEU neonates are born with reduced proportions of differentiated Th1/Th2/Th17 and CD4+CD25++ T cells, but the intrinsic abilities of CD4+ T cells to acquire a Th1 profile are not affected by the adverse maternal milieu during development.
The frequency of differentiated peripheral Th cells in HIV‐exposed uninfected (HEU) newborns is reduced compared to control newborns. The consequences of this poorly differentiated pool of Th cells in HEU newborns could contribute to the high susceptibility to infections during the first months of life
Introducción: La determinación del grupo sanguíneo ABO/RhD y la prueba directa de Coombs (PDC) al nacimiento son una práctica recomendada, pero existe variabilidad en su implementación universal. Se ...presentan los resultados de la determinación al nacimiento del grupo ABO/RhD y la PDC en una cohorte institucional. Métodos: Se incluyeron los recién nacidos entre 2017 y 2020 en un hospital de atención a embarazos de alto riesgo. Se determinó el grupo ABO/RhD y se realizó la PDC en muestras de cordón umbilical o en las primeras 24 horas de vida. Se registraron las variables demográficas, maternas y neonatales. Se estimó la asociación entre las variables mediante la razón de probabilidad (OR). Resultados: Se incluyeron 8721 binomios. La PDC fue positiva en 239 recién nacidos (2.7%), siendo las variables asociadas a la PDC positiva la edad materna > 40 años (OR: 1.5; IC95%: 1.0-2.3), el nacimiento por vía cesárea (1.4; 1.1-2.0), la madre del grupo O (6.4; 3.8-11.8), la prematuridad (3.6; 2.6-5.0); el peso al nacer < 2500 g (2.1; 1.6-2.8); el neonato del grupo A (15.7; 10.7-23.1) o del grupo B (17.6; 11.4-27.2), la hemoglobina al nacer < 13.5 g/dl (4.5; 2.8-7.1) y la reticulocitosis > 9% (1.9; 1.2 a 3.1). Discusión: La frecuencia de PDC positiva neonatal es del 2.7%, con asociación significativa la incompatibilidad materna/ neonatal al grupo ABO y RhD, con impacto significativo en diversas variables neonatales. Estos resultados apoyan la política de implementación universal al nacimiento de la determinación de ABO/RhD y PDC.
INTRODUCCIÓN: La disponibilidad y comercialización de la inmunoglobulina G humana ha modificado el curso y pronóstico de diversas enfermedades. Hoy en día representa el tratamiento de primera línea ...para al menos 10 enfermedades y de segunda línea, empírico o de indicación compasiva en otras alteraciones. La mayor parte de estas enfermedades son excepcionales (afectan a menos de 1 de cada 2000 individuos), por lo que la generación de evidencia robusta derivada de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados y controlados no es común. OBJETIVO: desarrollar Elaborar o Emitir un Consenso Mexicano para la prescripción de Inmunoglobulina G Humana como tratamiento de reemplazo e inmunomodulación con un enfoque de medicina basada en evidencias. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se integró un grupo multidisciplinario de especialistas en diversas áreas de la medicina en México, con la finalidad de emitir un análisis crítico y sistematizado de la evidencia clínica disponible para la prescripción de la inmunoglobulina G humana. Se revisaron las bases de datos MEDLINE, EMBASE, BVS-LILACS, NGS, NICE, CENETEC, Imbiomed, TripDatabase y Medigraphic. Para el análisis de la información se utilizaron algoritmos con términos Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) o Descriptores en Ciencias de la Salud (DeCS) específicos para cada enfermedad, con la intención de identificar guías de práctica clínica u otro tipo de guías, revisiones sistemáticas, metanálisis, ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, estudios clínicos, estudios descriptivos u observacionales y análisis de costobeneficio. Para el estudio de la evidencia se organizaron ocho grupos de trabajo, de acuerdo con el campo de conocimiento y la experiencia de los especialistas. Se formularon preguntas clínicas con el constructo PICO, por su acrónimo en inglés: Patients (pacientes o población), Intervention (intervención de interés), Comparison (comparación con otra intervención) y Outcome (desenlace de interés). Después de discutir las evidencias correspondientes y responder las preguntas, se redactó un documento con declaraciones específicas por indicación y calidad de evidencia con el esquema GRADE. Las declaraciones fueron sometidas a evaluación y consenso por todo el grupo de trabajo y se elaboró un documento con el formato actual para validación externa por los principales representantes de las academias y los colegios de las áreas del conocimiento incluidas, para finalmente publicarlo como tratamiento de referencia en la prescripción de la inmunoglobulina G humana en México. CONCLUSIONES: La integración del consenso representa un esfuerzo en aras de proporcionar a los clínicos de instituciones de segundo y tercer nivel de atención en salud de México. Además de proporciona un instrumento validado para la prescripción correcta de inmunoglobulina G humana como tratamiento de reemplazo e inmunomodulación. Este documento debe actualizarse de manera continua, debido al activo campo de investigación clínica en diferentes aplicaciones de la medicina.
In early 2023, when Omicron was the variant of concern, we showed that vaccinating pregnant women decreased the risk for severe COVID-19–related complications and maternal morbidity and mortality.
...This study aimed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 during pregnancy on newborns and the effects of maternal COVID-19 vaccination on neonatal outcomes when Omicron was the variant of concern.
INTERCOVID-2022 was a large, prospective, observational study, conducted in 40 hospitals across 18 countries, from November 27, 2021 (the day after the World Health Organization declared Omicron the variant of concern) to June 30, 2022, to assess the effect of COVID-19 in pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes and to assess vaccine effectiveness. Women diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 during pregnancy were compared with 2 nondiagnosed, unmatched women recruited concomitantly and consecutively during pregnancy or at delivery. Mother-newborn dyads were followed until hospital discharge. The primary outcomes were a neonatal positive test for COVID-19, severe neonatal morbidity index, severe perinatal morbidity and mortality index, preterm birth, neonatal death, referral to neonatal intensive care unit, and diseases during the neonatal period. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated with adjustment for maternal risk profile.
We enrolled 4707 neonates born to 1577 (33.5%) mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 and 3130 (66.5%) nondiagnosed mothers. Among the diagnosed mothers, 642 (40.7%) were not vaccinated, 147 (9.3%) were partially vaccinated, 551 (34.9%) were completely vaccinated, and 237 (15.0%) also had a booster vaccine. Neonates of booster-vaccinated mothers had less than half (relative risk, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.23–0.91) the risk of being diagnosed with COVID-19 when compared with those of unvaccinated mothers; they also had the lowest rates of preterm birth, medically indicated preterm birth, respiratory distress syndrome, and number of days in the neonatal intensive care unit. Newborns of unvaccinated mothers had double the risk for neonatal death (relative risk, 2.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–4.00) when compared with those of nondiagnosed mothers. Vaccination was not associated with any congenital malformations. Although all vaccines provided protection against neonatal test positivity, newborns of booster-vaccinated mothers had the highest vaccine effectiveness (64%; 95% confidence interval, 10%–86%). Vaccine effectiveness was not as high for messenger RNA vaccines only. Vaccine effectiveness against moderate or severe neonatal outcomes was much lower, namely 13% in the booster-vaccinated group (all vaccines) and 25% and 28% in the completely and booster-vaccinated groups, respectively (messenger RNA vaccines only). Vaccines were fairly effective in protecting neonates when given to pregnant women ≤100 days (14 weeks) before birth; thereafter, the risk increased and was much higher after 200 days (29 weeks). Finally, none of the neonatal practices studied, including skin-to-skin contact and direct breastfeeding, increased the risk for infecting newborns.
When Omicron was the variant of concern, newborns of unvaccinated mothers had an increased risk for neonatal death. Neonates of vaccinated mothers had a decreased risk for preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes. Because the protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination decreases with time, to ensure that newborns are maximally protected against COVID-19, mothers should receive a vaccine or booster dose no more than 14 weeks before the expected date of delivery.
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PRESENTACIÓN La infección por VSR sigue siendo la primera causa de hospitalización por infección de vías aéreas inferiores en niños en nuestro país y a nivel global. Se calculan más de 3.6 millones ...de hospitalizaciones por esta causa en todo el mundo y más de 26,000 defunciones anualmente. La mayor incidencia de hospitalizaciones ocurre en lactantes menores de seis meses, y ciertos grupos son particularmente vulnerables, los cuales tienen un riesgo incrementado de hospitalizaciones y muerte asociadas a infección por VSR. Este grupo de pacientes, que será definido y tratado en este documento, es candidato a recibir estrategias de prevención que hayan demostrado disminuir el riesgo de un mal desenlace en salud. Este documento constituye la Guía de Práctica Clínica (GPC) elaborada por iniciativa de la Academia Mexicana de Pediatría en colaboración con la Agencia Iberoamericana de Desarrollo y Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud, con el objetivo de establecer recomendaciones basadas en la mejor evidencia disponible y consensuadas por un grupo interdisciplinario de expertos clínicos y metodológicos. Las meta este documento son brindar recomendaciones para disminuir el riesgo de infección por VSR tanto en la comunidad como en el ámbito hospitalario, principalmente en lactantes que tienen un riesgo incrementado de complicaciones y muerte. Este documento cumple con estándares internacionales de calidad, como los descritos por el Instituto de Medicina de Estados Unidos de América (EUA) (IOM, por sus siglas en inglés), el Instituto de Excelencia Clínica de Gran Bretaña (NICE, por sus siglas en inglés), la Red Colegiada para el Desarrollo de Guías de Escocia (SIGN, por sus siglas en inglés) y la Red Internacional de Guías de Práctica Clínica (G-I-N, por sus siglas en inglés). Se integró un Grupo de Desarrollo interdisciplinario de expertos clínicos y metodólogos con experiencia en revisiones sistemáticas de la literatura y el desarrollo de guías de práctica clínica. Se condujo un proceso de panel Delphi modificado para extraer la opinión de los expertos y lograr un nivel de consenso adecuado en cada una de las cinco recomendaciones clave contenidas en este documento. Esperamos que este documento contribuya a apoyar la toma de decisiones de profesionales de la salud, elaboradores de políticas públicas, representantes de pacientes y sus cuidadores para lograr una mejor calidad en la atención y sobre todo disminuir la carga de la enfermedad por infección por VSR en este grupo vulnerable.
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