Sudden Complete Versus Gradual Weaning from Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Preterm Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is used as respiratory support in preterm neonates; however, the best weaning method has not yet been determined. In this study, we compared sudden complete and gradual weaning from nasal CPAP (NCPAP) in preterm newborns. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 62 preterm neonates who were born with a gestational week of < 32 weeks and required NCPAP for at least 24 h. The neonates were stable on NCPAP at 0.21 FiO(2) and 5 cm H2O positive end-expiratory pressure. They were randomized into two groups of gradual and sudden weaning using random numbers sheet. The primary outcome was successful weaning at the first attempt. The secondary outcomes included the number of NCPAP weaning attempts, the need for mechanical ventilation (nasal and endotracheal), duration of NCPAP, oxygenation, and length of hospital stay. Results: According to the results, 80.6% of the patients in the sudden weaning group and 74.2% of the patients in the gradual weaning group were weaned successfully in the first attempt. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in this regard (P=0.54). Duration of NCPAP was significantly lower in the sudden weaning group, compared to that in the gradual weaning group (P<0.001). Numbers of NCPAP weaning attempts, the need for mechanical ventilation, duration of oxygenation, and hospital stay in the two groups were not significantly different. Conclusion: There was no difference between sudden complete and gradual weaning from NCPAP in terms of treatment success and complications. The selection of the appropriate technique may depend on available equipment and treatment costs

High flow nasal cannula as a method for rapid weaning from nasal continuous positive airway pressure

Background: To compare two methods of weaning premature infants from nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP). Methods: Between March and November 2012, 88 preterm infants who were stable on NCPAP of 5 cmH 2 O with FIO 2 <30% for a minimum of 6 h were randomly allocated to one of two groups. The high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) group received HFNC with flow of 2 L/min and FIO 2 = 0.3 and then stepwise reduction of FIO 2 and then flow. The non-HFNC group was maintained on NCPAP of 5 cmH 2 O and gradual reduction of oxygen until they were on FIO 2 = 0.21 for 6 h, and we had weaned them directly from NCPAP (with pressure of 5 cmH 2 O) to room air. Results: No significant differences were found between 2 study groups with regards to gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score at 1 and 5 min after birth, patent ductus arteriosus and use of xanthines. The mean duration of oxygen therapy after randomization was significantly lower in HFNC group compared to non-HFNC group (20.6 ± 16.8 h vs. 49.6 ± 25.3 h, P < 0.001). Also, the mean length of hospital stay was significantly lower in HFNC group compared to non-HFNC group (11.3 ± 7.8 days vs. 14.8 ± 8.6 days, P = 0.04). The rate of successful weaning was not statistically different between two groups. Conclusions: Weaning from NCPAP to HFNC could decrease the duration of oxygen therapy and length of hospitalization in preterm infants

Effect of Kangaroo care combined with music on the mother–premature neonate attachment: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Premature birth may complicate the development and quality of the mother–infant attachment relationship. Music and kangaroo care are two common complementary cares performed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The present study investigated the effect of kangaroo care combined with music on the mother–premature neonate attachment. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 64 mothers with premature neonates were selected and assigned to the control and study groups through random allocation. In the control group, kangaroo care, and in the study group, kangaroo care combined with music was adopted. The level of mother–premature neonate attachment was measured and compared before and after the intervention in both the groups using Avant's Maternal Attachment Assessment Scale. Results: There was a significant increase in the mean overall score of attachment in the kangaroo care combined with music group (70.72 (11.46)) after the intervention compared to the kangaroo care without music group (53.61 (9.76)). Conclusions: The mean overall score of mother–neonate attachment in the kangaroo care combined with music group was higher than the kangaroo care group. This difference can be related to the effectiveness of music combined with kangaroo care

Remifentanil for endotracheal intubation in premature infants: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: Endotracheal intubation is a common procedure in neonatal care. The objective of this study was to determine whether the premedication with remifentanil before intubation has analgesic effects in newborn infants. Methods: A total of 40 premature infants who needed endotracheal intubation for intubation-surfactant-extubation method were randomly assigned in two groups of an equal number at two university hospitals. The control group was given 10 μg/kg atropine IV infusions in 1 min and then 2 ml normal saline. In the case group, the atropine was given with the same method and then remifentanil was administered 2 μg/kg IV infusions in 2 min. Findings: For remifentanil and control groups, the mean birth weight were 1761 ± 64 and 1447 ± 63 grams (P = 0.29), and the mean gestational ages were 31.69 ± 3.5 and 30.56 ± 2.8 weeks (P = 0.28), respectively. Using premature infant pain profile score, infants who received remifentanil felt significantly less pain than the control group (15.1 ± 1.6 vs. 7.5 ± 1.4; P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the duration of endotracheal intubation procedure (20.8 ± 6 vs. 22.8 ± 7.3 s; P = 0.33), the number of attempts for successful intubation and oxygen desaturation between groups. Conclusion: Premedication with remifentanil has good analgesic effects for endotracheal intubation in premature infants without significant derangements in mean blood pressure and oxygen saturation

Diagnostic Usefulness of Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry in Very Preterm Newborns

Background: This study was performed to find out whether transcutaneous bilirubinometry could be a valid screening method for hyperbilirubinemia in preterm infants, especially for those who needed mechanical ventilation. Methods: We evaluated 63 preterm Iranian newborns who were managed in the neonatal intensive care unit of Shahidbeheshti University Hospital, Isfahan, Iran from April 2009 to April 2010. Transcutaneous bilirubin (TCB) measurements were obtained using BiliCheck™ shortly before or 10 minutes after taking blood for determination of the plasma bilirubin level in premature newborns, who did not receive phototherapy. We assessed the correlation between the transcutaneous bilirubin and plasma bilirubin level by linear regression analysis. We also analyzed the gestational age, birth weight, postnatal age, sex, and hematocrit, for determination of their effect on transcutaneous bilirubin accuracy. Results: The overall bilirubin concentration ranged from 5.4 to 17 mg/dL and from 4.8 to 17.3 mg/dl for total serum bilirubin (TSB) and transcutaneous bilirubin, respectively. The mean values obtained by transcutaneous bilirubinometry were slightly higher than the total TSB values. The correlation coefficient between TSB and TCB was r=0.82, P<0.001, and this was not influenced by gestational age, postnatal age or hematocrit, which were previously considered to be important. The correlation coefficient between TSB and TCB in mechanically ventilated preterm infants was r=0.75, P<0.001. Conclusion: Plasma bilirubin level can be accurately measured by BiliCheck™ in premature newborns, even in newborns who need mechanical ventilation

The Calming Effect of Maternal Breast Milk Odor on Premature Infants

To compare the effectiveness of maternal breast milk odor and formula milk odor in soothing premature infants undergoing heel lancing. Materials and methods: Fifty preterm infants born between 32 weeks and 37 weeks gestation were randomly assigned into two groups. During heel lancing, we used formula milk odor for the first group and breast milk odor for the second group. A filter paper (containing either formula or breast milk) was placed near the infant's nose from 3 minutes prior to and up to 9 minutes after the heel blood sampling. The pain score was measured using premature infant pain profile (PIPP) score. We also evaluated crying duration and salivary cortisol prior to and after heel lancing. Results: After the heel lancing, the PIPP score was found to be significantly lower in the breast milk group than the formula milk group (5.4 compared to 9 with p < 0.001). Also, the level of salivary cortisol had significantly increased in the formula milk group, but not in the breast milk group (25.3 nmol/L compared to 17.7 nmol/L (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Breast milk odor has an analgesic effect in preterm newborns and can be used as a safe method for pain relief

The effects of massage and breastfeeding on response to venipuncture pain among hospitalized neonates

Background: Untreated procedural pain leads to long-term and short-term complications in neonates. Preventing pain in sick infants and neonates, whose conditions are getting worse, not only is a professional and legal duty but also a prevention measure to decrease future psychological and even neurological complications. Therefore, nurses should prevent newborns' pain. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of massage and breastfeeding on the pain of the neonates. Materials and Methods: This was a clinical trial conducted among 75 full-term and near-term infants who underwent venipuncture. The newborns were randomly allocated to the following groups (n = 25 for each): group 1, breastfeeding; group 2, massage; and group 3, control. In the first group, venipuncture was done 2 minutes after breastfeeding. In the second group, massage was done with effleurage technique for 3 minutes and venipuncture was done 2 minutes after massage. The Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) was used for pain measurement in the first 30 seconds of venipuncture. Data were analyzed by t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The lowest mean pain score recorded in the massage group (0.92) whereas it was 4.84 in the breastfeeding group and 6.16 in the control group. ANOVA test and post-hoc statistics revealed that both interventions resulted in a significant reduction of the pain scores. Conclusions: According to the findings of this study, the lowest pain score was in massage group, then in breastfeeding group and control group accordingly. Considering the fact that massage and breastfeeding are natural, useful, and cost free interventions and do not need any special facility, these methods are suggested in pain management and pain control during painful procedures administrated for infants

The effect of inhaled budesonide on the prevention of chronic lung disease in premature neonates with respiratory distress syndrome

Background: Considering all the latest achievements in neonatal respiratory care, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is still among the most prevalent morbidity causes in premature infants. Involvement in this process results in longer period of hospitalization for the newborn and in the long run makes the living conditions more difficult. Taking the multifactorial pathogenesis into account, approaches to tackle chronic lung disease (CLD) are mainly focused on interventions and prevention procedures. This study tries to investigate the potential capability of inhaled budesonide in the prevention of BPD in newborns with gestational age of <28 weeks with the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial done on seventy newborns with gestational ages of 23–28 weeks with RDS in Isfahan Shahid Beheshti Educational Hospital from June 2014 to April 2016. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups of intervention with budesonide and control. There were 35 newborns in each group. Upon recording demographic characteristics, the newborns in two groups were compared based on the length of noninvasive ventilation, the need for invasive mechanical ventilation, the number of surfactant administrations, pneumothorax, intraventricular hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), CLD, and death. Results: The length of the need for nasal continuous positive airway pressure showed no statistically significant difference between the groups (P = 0.54). The number of newborns who needed invasive mechanical ventilation also revealed no meaningful difference (P = 0.14). Similarly, the number of newborns who were characterized as affected by CLD also showed no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.053). Moreover, the number of newborns who experienced pneumothorax was not significantly different for the groups (P = 0.057). The number of newborns who received three administrations of surfactant had also no statistically meaningful difference between the groups (P = 0.69). However, the number of newborns who received two doses of surfactant was statistically lower in budesonide intervention group than the control (P = 0.041). The prevalence of intraventricular hemorrhage with degrees of I, II, and III also showed no statistically meaningful difference between the groups with P = 0.74, 0.32, and 0.49, respectively. The occurrence of PDA had no meaningful difference between the groups (P = 0.66). Relative death cases also revealed no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.53). Conclusions: The current study revealed a decrease in CLD prevalence for newborns in interventional group; however, this decrease was not statistically meaningful. The newborns, in the intervention group, who had received two doses of surfactant (survanta) showed a significant decrease, which can be the basis for further research in this field

Comparison of Two Phototherapy Methods (Prophylactic vs Therapeutic) for Management of Hyperbilirubinemia in Very Low Birth Weight Newborns

Objective: Preterm and low birth weight (LBW) infants are at greater risk of developing bilirubinassociated brain damage compared with term infants. Certainly, phototherapy, if used appropriately, is capable of controlling the bilirubin levels in LBW infants; but there is not a unique phototherapy treatment strategy in LBW infants. This study was designed to compare the prophylactic phototherapy and late treatment of jaundiced newborns weighing 1000-1500 grams. Methods: Sixty newborns with birth weight 1000–1500 g were studied. They were divided into two groups: the "Prophylactic" group, in which phototherapy started within six hours after birth and continued for at least 96 hours, and the "Treatment" group, which received phototherapy when indicated according to birth weight and suspended when bilirubin level fell below 50% of bilirubin level for blood exchange. Mean value of daily transcutaneous bilirubin (TCB), duration of phototherapy, the need for blood exchange, and the highest TCB value in both groups were analyzed. Findings: In the prophylactic group, the highest daily mean rate of TCB was 7.71±1.84 mg/dl, which happened on the third day. In the treatment group, it was 8.74±1.72 mg/dl on the fourth day after birth. The TCB values in prophylactic group were significantly less than those of the treatment group only on the fourth and fifth days after birth (P<0.001). Although the median duration of phototherapy in the treatment group was shorter than that of the prophylactic group (137.60±57.39 vs 168.71±88.01 hours, respectively), this difference was not statistically significant. Only one neonate needed blood exchange in the treatment group. Conclusion: The prophylactic phototherapy treatment for babies weighing 1000–1500 g significantly decreases bilirubin levels on the fourth and fifth days after birth but the clinical course of hyperbilirubinemia does not alter in LBW infant, as indicated by the non-significant change in the duration of phototherapy

The implementation of kangaroo mother care and nurses' perspective of barriers in Iranian' NICUs

Background: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is the most implementation intervention in caring of the infants, as in this method, both the mothers and infants are cared. The World Health Organization recommends implementation of KMC for all infants. However, there are some barriers in the way of its application. The purpose of this study was evaluation of the practical application of KMC and nurses' perspective about its implantation barriers in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Iran. Materials and Methods: The descriptive study was conducted on 96 infants and 80 nurses working in the NICUs of two university hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. Data were collected by a two-section questionnaire and analyzed by t-test through SPSS 14. Results: Study findings indicated that mean weight and age of the infants with KMC were 1510 g and 32 weeks, respectively. KMC was implantation for 32 min in a day. From nurses' perspective, mother-related barriers were the main barriers in the implantation of KMC as mothers were not present by their infants. Another barrier was the mothers' fear of touching their infants. In the domain of organizational barriers, physician's order was found to be the most important barrier in application of KMC. Conclusions: Identifying barriers in implantation of KMC is essential to support the mothers. Regarding mother-related barriers, organizational barriers, and the need for a physician's order for implementation of KMC, policy makers must provide facilities and equipment for applying KMC practice for mothers and improve the protocol of KMC in the NICU