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Preterm babies have a heightened risk of infection as their immune system is not mature. The Neonatal Health Team is exploring new ways to diagnose, prevent and treat infections in WA's smallest patients .
Infants born before 28 weeks' gestation account for approximately 75% of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Late-onset sepsis (LOS) affects around 25% of these infants and is associated with an increased risk of adverse long-term outcomes. The topical application of coconut oil has been used for centuries in newborn care. Coconut oil is rich in saturated fatty acids, several of which have demonstrated antimicrobial properties. It is considered safe for extremely preterm infants, improves skin condition and may reduce the incidence of LOS.
Preterm infants are commonly treated with antibiotics on admission to the neonatal unit as part of routine care. We aimed to identify infants <32 weeks' gestation at low risk of early-onset sepsis (EOS) in whom antibiotics could be safely withheld.
Skin care for very and extremely preterm infant is an important and previously underappreciated topic. Coconut oil skin care for preterm infants is a promising option, but several important questions remain including the theoretical potential for allergic sensitization.
Infants at risk of HIE require early identification and initiation of therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Earlier treatment with TH is associated with better outcomes. aEEG is frequently used when making the decision whether to commence TH. As this is often limited to tertiary centers, TH may be delayed if the infant requires transport to a center that provides it.
Heat-inactivated probiotics (HPs) may provide an effective alternative to live probiotics by avoiding their risks (eg, probiotic sepsis) while retaining the benefits. We assessed the safety and efficacy of a HP in very preterm (VP: gestation <32 weeks) infants.
Recent studies have shown that PTX is compatible with a wide range of intravenous medicines used in NICU settings2–4; however, the compatibility of PTX with inline intravenous filters or syringe filters used in aseptic compounding facilities has not previously been reported.
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a biphasic vaso-proliferative disease that has the potential to cause blindness. In addition to prematurity and hyperoxia, perinatal infection and inflammation have been reported to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ROP. The aim of this study was to assess the association between placental inflammation and the severity of ROP.
Sildenafil is used to treat pulmonary hypertension in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) settings. As multiple intravenous (IV) medications are co-administered in NICU settings, we sought to investigate the physicochemical compatibility of sildenafil with a range of IV drugs.
Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of childhood mortality. Limited diagnostic tools and mechanistic insights have hampered our abilities to develop prophylactic or therapeutic interventions. Biomarkers in human neonatal sepsis have been repeatedly identified as associated with dysregulation of angiopoietin signaling and altered arachidonic acid metabolism.