Comparison between rectal and infrared skin temperature in the newborn

The reliability of measurement of body temperature using a new infrared skin thermometer was evaluated in 107 newborns. The use of the device was associated with low operator-related variability and acceptable limits of agreement with the temperature measured with a rectal mercury thermometer. Use of the infrared skin thermometer is a comfortable and reliable way of measurement of body temperature in newborns

Intestinal absorption of vitamin E in children with atrophy of the jejunal mucosa

The intestinal absorption of vitamin E is often thought to be closely correlated to that of fatty acids, but the biochemical mechanisms involved in the process are still not clear. For this reason, the present study aimed to assess the absorption of triglycerides and vitamin E, following oral administration, in 11 children with suspected malabsorption syndromes. Intestinal biopsy in 9 children showed the presence of a flat mucosa, whereas no changes were present in 2 patients. The results confirm the inverse correlation between the absorption of triglycerides and vitamin E, as if tocopherols used an independent system of transport. These findings contrast with those reported in the literature perhaps due to the low level of precision of colorimetric techniques previously used to assay vitamin E

Necrotising enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants in Italy : incidence and non-nutritional risk factors

Incidence and non-nutritional risk factors were estimated for necrotising enterocolitis in 2035 very low birth weight infants, admitted to 14 tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units in Lombardy, northern Italy. There were 62 necrotising enterocolitis cases, with an overall incidence of 3.1%. After adjustment for gestational age and centre, the risk factors were mechanical ventilation, patent ductus arteriosus, and late-onset sepsis, whereas surfactant treatment was associated with decreased risk. Significant variations in necrotising enterocolitis incidence among hospitals were found

Necrotising enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants in Italy: Incidence and non-nutritional risk factors

Incidence and non-nutritional risk factors were estimated for necrotising enterocolitis in 2035 very low birth weight infants, admitted to 14 tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units in Lombardy, northern Italy. There were 62 necrotising enterocolitis cases, with an overall incidence of 3.1%. After adjustment for gestational age and centre, the risk factors were mechanical ventilation, patent ductus arteriosus, and late-onset sepsis, whereas surfactant treatment was associated with decreased risk. Significant variations in necrotising enterocolitis incidence among hospitals were found

Intravenous lipid emulsions affect respiratory outcome in preterm newborn. A case-control study

(1) Background: Hypertriglyceridemia (HiTG) is a metabolic complication of intravenous lipid emulsions (ILEs) infusion. We aimed to evaluate the influence of HiTG on the respiratory outcome of preterm babies; (2) Methods: We enrolled, in a case–control study, newborns with gestational age <32 weeks or birth weight <1500 g, over a 3-year period. They were divided into cases and controls; cases were defined by the detection of HiTG defined as serum triglycerides (TG) value >150 mg/dL; (3) Results: We enrolled 40 cases and 105 controls. Cases had an increased incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (30.0% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.05) and longer duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (7 days, 95% CI 4–10 days vs. 4 days, 95% CI 1–7 days, p < 0.01) compared to controls. Multivariate analysis confirmed that HiTG independently influenced the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, also in the subgroups with gestational age ≤28 + 6/7 weeks or birth weight ≤1000 g; (4) Conclusion: Newborns with HiTG related to ILEs had a longer duration of invasive mechanical ventilation. Temporary suspension or reduction in ILEs in the case of HiTG is associated with an improvement of respiratory outcome