Atitude expectante na pré-eclâmpsia moderada tardia

Trabalho Final do Curso de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 2014

Cot-nursing using a heated, water-filled mattress and incubator care: a randomized clinical trial

Aims: To evaluate the thermal responses and weight gain in preterm infants nursed in a cot on a heated, water-filled mattress (HWM) compared with infants receiving care in an air-heated incubator and to compare mothers' stress, anxiety levels and perceptions of their infants in the two groups. Methods: Stable preterm infants weighing 1300 to 1500 g were enrolled, being randomly allocated to either the study group (n = 41) receiving care in a cot on an HWM, or the control group ( n = 33) receiving incubator care. The mean daily body temperature and episodes of cold stress and hyperthermia were recorded. Weight gain (g kg(-1) body weight d(-1)) was also calculated. The mothers completed questionnaires on their perceptions of their infants, and their anxiety and stress levels before randomization, and 2 - 3 wk later during the trial. Results: The mean body temperature was similar for the first week of the trial ( study group 36.9degreesC vs controls 36.9degreesC). There were no significant differences in the incidence of cold stress, while more hyperthermic episodes were seen in the study group ( p = 0.03). There were no significant differences in weight gain during the first ( study group 21.4 g vs controls 19.6 g) or second weeks of the trial ( study group 20.5 g vs controls 19.2 g). Neonatal morbidity did not differ between the groups. There were no differences in mothers' perceptions of their babies, or feelings of stress or anxiety. Conclusion: There were no differences between infants cot-nursed on an HWM and those receiving incubator care, with the exception of episodes of high temperature. The results suggest that the HWM may be used safely for low-weight preterm infants.

Error recovery in a hospital pharmacy

A field study was performed in a hospital pharmacy aimed at identifying positive and negative influences on the process of detection of and further recovery from initial errors or other failures, thus avoiding negative consequences. Confidential reports and follow-up interviews provided data on 31 near-miss incidents involving such recovery processes. Analysis revealed that organizational culture with regard to following procedures needed reinforcement, that some procedures could be improved, that building in extra checks was worthwhile and that supporting unplanned recovery was essential for problems not covered by procedures. Guidance is given on how performance in recovery could be measured. A case is made for supporting recovery as an addition to prevention-based safety methods.

Perinatal outcomes with laser surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome

The aim of this tertiary hospital-based cohort study was to determine and compare perinatal outcome and neonatal morbidities of pregnancies with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) before and after the introduction of a treatment program with laser ablation of placental communicating vessels. Twenty-seven pregnancies with Stage II-IV TTTS treated with amnioreduction were identified (amnioreduction group). The data were compared with that obtained from the first 31 pregnancies with Stage II-IV TTTS managed with laser ablation of placental communicating vessels (laser group). Comparisons were made for perinatal survival and neonatal morbidities including abnormalities on brain imaging. The median gestation at therapy was similar between the two groups (20 vs. 21 weeks, p = .24), while the median gestation at delivery was significantly greater in the laser treated group (34 vs. 28 weeks, p = .002). The perinatal survival rate was higher in the laser group (77.4% vs. 59.3%, p = .03). Neonatal morbidities including acute respiratory distress, chronic lung disease, requirement for ventilatory assistance, patent ductus arteriosus, hypotension, and oliguric renal failure had a lower incidence in the laser group. On brain imaging, ischemic brain injury was seen in 12% of the amnioreduction group and none of the laser group of infants (p = .01). In conclusion, these findings indicate that perinatal outcomes are improved with less neonatal morbidity for monochorionic pregnancies with severe TTTS treated by laser ablation of communicating placental vessels when compared to treatment by amnioreduction.

Risk assessment applied to comsumer products with reference to CE marking machines for use at work

New Approach’ Directives now govern the health and safety of most products whether destined for workplace or domestic use. These Directives have been enacted into UK law by various specific legislation principally relating to work equipment, machinery and consumer products. This research investigates whether the risk assessment approach used to ensure the safety of machinery may be applied to consumer products. Crucially, consumer products are subject to the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) 1987, where there is no direct reference to “assessing risk”. This contrasts with the law governing the safety of products used in the workplace, where risk assessment underpins the approach. New Approach Directives are supported by European harmonised standards, and in the case of machinery, further supported by the risk assessment standard, EN 1050. The system regulating consumer product safety is discussed, its key elements identified and a graphical model produced. This model incorporates such matters as conformity assessment, the system of regulation, near miss and accident reporting. A key finding of the research is that New Approach Directives have a common feature of specifying essential performance requirements that provide a hazard prompt-list that can form the basis for a risk assessment (the hazard identification stage). Drawing upon 272 prosecution cases, and with thirty examples examined in detail, this research provides evidence that despite the high degree of regulation, unsafe consumer products still find their way onto the market. The research presents a number of risk assessment tools to help Trading Standards Officers (TSOs) prioritise their work at the initial inspection stage when dealing with subsequent enforcement action.

Perfil de mães e o desfecho do nascimento prematuro ou termo

The birth or delivery under 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered a global public health problem, since it is seen as one of the main risk factors for neonatal morbidity and mortality, particularly in the first week of life. This study had the objective of analyzing the profile of mothers of premature and full-term babies for the outcome of birth. This is an analytical-descriptive and cross-sectional study, with a sample of 109 mothers of all the premature babies and 135 mothers of the randomly selected full-term babies, by drawing, occurred in the period from April to September 2015, in a public maternity. Data were organized on Microsoft Excel 2013; subsequently, there was the analysis of the analytical-descriptive statistics, through Statistica 10, through which the frequencies, proportions, p values, with 5% significance level, through the Chi-square test, were identified. The project was submitted to the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, receiving a favorable opinion (nº 1047431/2015). This study has enabled us to identify that the socioeconomic profile of mothers of premature and full-term babies showed, in both, low schooling level and low income. In addition, our data point out in the two groups, before and during pregnancy, a high prevalence of sedentariness; statistical significance for overweight and obesity before and during pregnancy, with 42,22% prevalence before pregnancy of mothers of premature babies and 48,62% of mothers of full-term babies; with high blood pressure during pregnancy in 32,11% of mothers of premature babies and 17,04% of mothers of full-term babies. Moreover, pregnancy was only planned in 33,33%, and also unwanted by 21,1% of mothers of premature babies, while 40,37% of mothers of full-term babies planned pregnancy and 17,78% had unwanted pregnancy. With respect to the aggravating factor “illicit drugs”, there was consumption during pregnancy on the part of 8,26% of mothers of premature babies. The most frequent complications were: vaginal bleeding (in 43,12% of mothers of premature babies and 20% of mothers of full-term babies); urinary infection (in 44,95% of mothers of premature babies and 40% of mothers of full-term babies); and stressful pregnancy (in 62,96% of mothers of premature babies and 47,41% of mothers of full-term babies). Accordingly, babies were born with health problems in 58,10% of premature births and there was healthy birth in 96,30% of full-term babies. Therefore, the profile of mothers with obesity and overweight, unwanted pregnancy, user of illegal drugs during pregnancy, stressful pregnancy and vaginal bleeding may be associated with the birth of premature baby as unfavorable and hazardous event for the child’s health.

Perfil de mães e o desfecho do nascimento prematuro ou termo

The birth or delivery under 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered a global public health problem, since it is seen as one of the main risk factors for neonatal morbidity and mortality, particularly in the first week of life. This study had the objective of analyzing the profile of mothers of premature and full-term babies for the outcome of birth. This is an analytical-descriptive and cross-sectional study, with a sample of 109 mothers of all the premature babies and 135 mothers of the randomly selected full-term babies, by drawing, occurred in the period from April to September 2015, in a public maternity. Data were organized on Microsoft Excel 2013; subsequently, there was the analysis of the analytical-descriptive statistics, through Statistica 10, through which the frequencies, proportions, p values, with 5% significance level, through the Chi-square test, were identified. The project was submitted to the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, receiving a favorable opinion (nº 1047431/2015). This study has enabled us to identify that the socioeconomic profile of mothers of premature and full-term babies showed, in both, low schooling level and low income. In addition, our data point out in the two groups, before and during pregnancy, a high prevalence of sedentariness; statistical significance for overweight and obesity before and during pregnancy, with 42,22% prevalence before pregnancy of mothers of premature babies and 48,62% of mothers of full-term babies; with high blood pressure during pregnancy in 32,11% of mothers of premature babies and 17,04% of mothers of full-term babies. Moreover, pregnancy was only planned in 33,33%, and also unwanted by 21,1% of mothers of premature babies, while 40,37% of mothers of full-term babies planned pregnancy and 17,78% had unwanted pregnancy. With respect to the aggravating factor “illicit drugs”, there was consumption during pregnancy on the part of 8,26% of mothers of premature babies. The most frequent complications were: vaginal bleeding (in 43,12% of mothers of premature babies and 20% of mothers of full-term babies); urinary infection (in 44,95% of mothers of premature babies and 40% of mothers of full-term babies); and stressful pregnancy (in 62,96% of mothers of premature babies and 47,41% of mothers of full-term babies). Accordingly, babies were born with health problems in 58,10% of premature births and there was healthy birth in 96,30% of full-term babies. Therefore, the profile of mothers with obesity and overweight, unwanted pregnancy, user of illegal drugs during pregnancy, stressful pregnancy and vaginal bleeding may be associated with the birth of premature baby as unfavorable and hazardous event for the child’s health.

Prevalence of preterm labor in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Preterm labor, which defines as live-birth delivery before 37 weeks of gestation is a main determinant of neonatal morbidity and mortality around the world. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of preterm labor in Iran by a meta-analysis study, to be as a final measure for policy makers in this field. Materials and Methods: In this meta-analysis, the databases of Thomson database (Web of Knowledge), PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, Iranmedex, Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, and Medlib were searched for articles in English and Persian language published between 1995 and 2014. Among the studies with regard to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 studies (out of 1370 publications) were selected. Data were analyzed by using Stata software version 11. The heterogeneity of reported prevalence among studies was evaluated by the Chi-square based Q test and I2 statistics. Results: The results of Chi-square based on Q test and I2 statistics revealed severe heterogeneity (Q=2505.12, p-value < 0.001 and I2= 99.5%) and consequently, the random effect model was used for the meta-analysis. Based on the random effect model, the overall estimated prevalence of preterm in Iran was 9.2% (95% CI: 7.6 – 10.7). Conclusion: Present study summarized the results of previous studies and provided a comprehensive view about the preterm delivery in Iran. In order to achieve a more desirable level and its reduction in the coming years, identifying affecting factor and interventional and preventive actions seem necessary.

Erro de medicação: circunstâncias da sua ocorrência na perspetiva do enfermeiro.

Introdução Nas últimas décadas tem-se assistido a uma vertiginosa evolução tecnológica, particularmente na área da saúde, proporcionando ganhos em saúde e aumentando as expectativas dos utilizadores dos cuidados de saúde. Na complexa interação Homem e tecnologia que ocorre durante a prestação de cuidados existe o risco associado, que poderá levar à ocorrência de erros em saúde e, neste caso, os cuidados de saúde não só não trarão os esperados benefícios para o doente como poderão provocar o dano Fragata e Martins (2004). Assim, o tema da segurança dos doentes, principalmente o erro em saúde, ganha importância dentro do sector da saúde. O erro relacionado com a medicação, é considerado uma das principais causas de morte e incapacidade, falecendo mais pessoas devido a erros de medicação do que a acidentes de trabalho (Khon, Corrigan e Donaldson, 2000). Embora a gestão da medicação envolva múltiplos profissionais, os enfermeiros assumem, neste contexto, um papel central na promoção da segurança dos doentes, quer na deteção de falhas ocorridas anteriormente com o doente, quer na prevenção de falhas durante as fases do processo em que intervêm diretamente (Catela, 2008). No sentido de reduzir os eventos adversos relacionados com a medicação é essencial adotar uma postura de compreensão do erro, dos fatores precipitantes e circunstanciais do mesmo. Esta postura será o primeiro passo para sua prevenção. Porém, reconhece-se que existe subnotificação dos eventos adversos, nomeadamente os relacionados com a medicação, o que tem dificultado o conhecimento desta realidade. Objetivos O estudo propõe-se concretizar os seguintes objetivos gerais: compreender as circunstâncias associadas ao erro de medicação e sensibilizar a equipa de enfermagem para a importância do relato do erro de medicação. Dos objetivos gerais emergiram os seguintes objetivos específicos: identificar os diferentes tipos de erro de medicação; identificar o impacto do erro no doente, na organização e no profissional; identificar o contexto da sua ocorrência (profissionais envolvidos e momento do dia); identificar as fases do processo em que ocorrem os erros de medicação; compreender as causas precipitantes do erro de medicação (falhas humanas ou falhas sistémicas); identificar as medidas de mitigação de dano realizadas pelos profissionais; identificar as medidas preventivas propostas pelos profissionais; verificar se ocorreu a notificação do erro e analisar os fatores que dificultam ou facilitam a decisão de notificar o erro Metodologia O presente estudo procura dar resposta à questão de investigação "Quais as circunstâncias que envolvem a ocorrência dos erros de medicação, vivenciados pelos enfermeiros, num serviço de internamento de um hospital central?" Nesse sentido desenhou-se um estudo transversal, descritivo, exploratório, numa abordagem qualitativa, que permita a compreensão do fenómeno. Foram convidados a participar no estudo os enfermeiros que trabalham num serviço de internamento do Hospital Central. Cumpridos os critérios de inclusão, aceitaram participar onze informantes. Optou-se pela técnica de entrevista semi-estruturada. O participante foi convidado a relatar uma situação de erro de medicação vivenciado ou observado. A fim de facilitar o relato dos participantes, o guião de entrevista seguiu omodelo Patient Safety Event Taxonomy (PSET) da Join Commission Accreditation Health Organization (JCAHO), adaptado por Castilho e Parreira (2012) para o estudo de eventos relacionados com a prática de enfermagem, permitindo organizar a informação em torno de cinco eixos temáticos: tipo de evento, impacto, domínio, causa, mitigação e prevenção do dano e notificação. Resultados/Discussão Os enfermeiros relatam essencialmente situações incidentes com a medicação vivenciados por si e reconhecem situações near miss como precursor de um possível evento adverso. Os eventos adversos ocorrem principalmente na fase de administração e envolvem principalmente situações de troca de doentes. No que concerne ao impacto que estes eventos adversos podem provocar no doente verifica-se que existe uma tendência geral para a sua desvalorização, considerando os profissionais que não houve impacto negativo ou este foi mínimo. Associam este resultado ao predomínio de medicação oral. Relativamente ao impacto para o Organização, identificamos uma tendência de não valorização, no entanto alguns enfermeiros identificam os gastos materiais, em recursos humanos (novas preparações e aumento da vigilância) e na imagem, quer junto do doente quer da família. Nas consequências para o enfermeiro valorizam sobretudo o impacto negativo (culpa, vergonha, ansiedade), identificando também a oportunidade de aprendizagem. A análise das causas permite evidenciar que os erros acontecem em resultado do entrelaçar de vários fatores humanos e sistémicos que contribuem para a sua ocorrência. As pessoas falham: violam métodos de trabalho preconizados e regras de segurança que conhecem, esquecem-se, enganam-se e confundem-se. As situações de erro são justificadas pelos enfermeiros pela existência de um ambiente que é propiciador da ocorrência destas situações, que favorece a distração, a desconcentração e promove a violação do método individual de trabalho, numa tentativa de contornar o elevado volume de trabalho a fim de dar resposta em tempo útil às necessidades dos doentes. Os enfermeiros, quando referiram como causa uma distração, na sua maioria souberam atribuir a causa dessa mesma distração e não a aceitaram apenas por si só. Foram identificados como fatores que dificultam o trabalho dos enfermeiros e potenciam a ocorrência do erro, o elevado volume de trabalho, as múltiplas interrupções a que são sujeitos aquando da preparação e administração de fármacos, a confusão, a agitação e elevado número de pessoas (utentes e visitas) a circular no serviço e na zona de preparação de fármacos aquando da preparação, a ausência de material atualizado e ajustado a uma preparação e administração segura e condições arquitetónicas da zona de preparação pouco adequadas, Foram ainda, referidas a inadequação do aplicativo informático, o sistema de registo de medicação não dispõe de mecanismos seguros para evitar os erros e o facto de nem todos as camas disporem de rampas de oxigénio. Ainda que os enfermeiros tenham identificado falhas humanas e sistémicas na ocorrência do erro, defenderam que na sua maioria são propiciadas por um sistema frágil e propiciador dessas mesmas falhas. Os enfermeiros vivenciam o erro com responsabilidade, adotando de imediato estratégias de redução do dano, nomeadamente aumentando a vigilância, a certificação de ausência de alergia e aumento da pesquisa sobre ao fármaco A oportunidade de refletir sobre as circunstâncias que envolveram o erro de medicação deu origem a várias sugestões de melhoria no serviço, nomeadamente o aumento da dotação de profissionais, a existência de um armário com sistema de unidose, o cumprimento do método individual de trabalho em especial no que concerne à gestão do medicamento, a otimização do aplicativo informático de gestão do medicamento, a otimização na identificação do doente em cada unidade, maior concentração aquando da preparação e administração dos medicamentos, a existência de um espaço físico exclusivo para a preparação da medicação, a existência de rampas de oxigénio em todas as unidades e a criação de momentos de partilha em equipa a fim de estimular a aprendizagem com erro. Os profissionais reconhecem importância da notificação e da aprendizagem com o erro, sobretudo nos casos graves. Identificam como fatores que e contribuem para a não notificação, o medo de penalização, assim como, o desconhecimento da forma como proceder para notificar o evento adverso. Perante tais achados sugere-se, tal como preconiza Chiang, Hui-Ying e Pepper (2006), que será importante trabalhar juntamente com estes enfermeiros no sentido de os formar e informar sobre onde e como notificar, reforçar a extrema importância de notificar desmitificando o receio da punição individual, estimulando a cultura de aprendizagem com o erro em detrimento de uma culpabilização individual. Conclusão A segurança do doente apresenta-se como uma questão incontornável da qualidade em saúde, reconhecendo-se, que apesar dos avanços tecnológicos e científicos, continuam a ocorrer erros nas práticas profissionais, nomeadamente erros de medicação, suscetíveis de causar dano ao doente. Os profissionais reconhecem que este são frequentemente evitáveis, identificam diferentes fatores humanos e sistémicos que intervêm na sua ocorrência. Os enfermeiros apresentaram como medidas preventivas de erros o aumento da dotação de profissionais, a existência de um armário com sistema de unidose, o cumprimento do método individual de trabalho, em especial no que concerne à gestão do medicamento, a otimização do aplicativo informático de gestão do medicamento, a otimização na identificação do doente em cada unidade, maior concentração aquando da preparação e administração dos medicamentos, a existência de um espaço físico exclusivo para a preparação da medicação, a existência de rampas de oxigénio em todas as unidades e a criação de momentos de partilha em equipa a fim de estimular a aprendizagem com erro. Os resultados desta investigação foram apresentados e discutidos em equipa sendo assim criado um espaço de reflexão. Espera-se com este trabalho estimular a reflexão em equipa sobre esta temática, contribuir para a redução do erro de medicação e fomentar uma cultura de notificação de eventos adversos. É fundamental incutir nos profissionais e nas organizações uma verdadeira cultura de segurança, que proceda à gestão do risco clínico.. Tal como Fragata (2010), consideramos que a segurança dos doentes será tanto mais eficaz quanto mais robusto for o sistema.

Lung recruitment manoeuvres for reducing respiratory morbidity in mechanically ventilated neonates

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To determine the evidence supporting the use of recruitment manoeuvres in mechanically ventilated neonates and identify the optimal method of lung recruitment. To determine the effects of lung recruitment manoeuvres in neonates receiving ventilatory support on neonatal mortality and development of chronic lung disease when compared to no recruitment. If data are available, subgroup analyses will include: chronological age, gestational age, lung pathophysiology and pre-existing lung disease, mode and length of ventilation, timing and frequency of recruitment techniques.

Genome-Wide Association Studies of Asthma in Population-Based Cohorts Confirm Known and Suggested Loci and Identify an Additional Association near HLA

Rationale: Asthma has substantial morbidity and mortality and a strong genetic component, but identification of genetic risk factors is limited by availability of suitable studies. Objectives: To test if population-based cohorts with self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma and genome-wide association (GWA) data could be used to validate known associations with asthma and identify novel associations. Methods: The APCAT (Analysis in Population-based Cohorts of Asthma Traits) consortium consists of 1,716 individuals with asthma and 16,888 healthy controls from six European-descent population-based cohorts. We examined associations in APCAT of thirteen variants previously reported as genome-wide significant (P<5x10-8) and three variants reported as suggestive (P<5×10-7). We also searched for novel associations in APCAT (Stage 1) and followed-up the most promising variants in 4,035 asthmatics and 11,251 healthy controls (Stage 2). Finally, we conducted the first genome-wide screen for interactions with smoking or hay fever. Main Results: We observed association in the same direction for all thirteen previously reported variants and nominally replicated ten of them. One variant that was previously suggestive, rs11071559 in RORA, now reaches genome-wide significance when combined with our data (P = 2.4×10-9). We also identified two genome-wide significant associations: rs13408661 near IL1RL1/IL18R1 (PStage1+Stage2 = 1.1x10-9), which is correlated with a variant recently shown to be associated with asthma (rs3771180), and rs9268516 in the HLA region (PStage1+Stage2 = 1.1x10-8), which appears to be independent of previously reported associations in this locus. Finally, we found no strong evidence for gene-environment interactions with smoking or hay fever status. Conclusions: Population-based cohorts with simple asthma phenotypes represent a valuable and largely untapped resource for genetic studies of asthma. © 2012 Ramasamy et al.

Neonatal screening for cystic fibrosis

Two groups of patients with cystic fibrosis were compared. The screened group, detected with an improved neonatal screening assay for immunoreactive trypsin, developed fewer chest infections requiring treatment and gained more weight than the unscreened group. Early diagnosis by screening seems to affect early morbidity.

Visual Impairment in Finnish Children : Prevalence, causes and morbidity of full-term and preterm children with visual impairment born from 1972 through 1989

The prevalence and the causes of childhood visual impairment in Finland during the 1970s and the 1980s were investigated, with special attention to risk factors and further prevention of visual impairment in children. The primary data on children with visual impairment were obtained from the Finnish Register of Visual Impairment, one of the patient registers kept up by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (Stakes). The data were supplemented from other registers in Stakes and from patient records of the children in Finnish central hospitals. Visual impairment had been registered in 556 children from a population of 1,138,326 children between ages 0-17, born from 1972 through 1989. The age-specific prevalence of registered visual impairment was 49/100,000 in total. Of them, 23/100,000 were blind children and 11/100,000 were children born prematurely. Boys were impaired more often and more severely than girls. Congenital malformations (52%), systemic diseases (48%), and multiple impairments (50%) were common. The main ophthalmic groups of visual impairment were retinal diseases (35%), ocular malformations (29%), and neuro-ophthalmological disorders (29%). Optic nerve atrophy was the most common diagnosis of visual impairment (22%), followed by congenital cataract (11%), retinopathy of prematurity (10%), and cerebral visual impairment (8%). Genetic factors (42%) were the most common etiologies of visual impairment, followed by prenatal (30%) and perinatal (21%) factors. The highest rates of blindness were seen in cerebral visual impairment (83%) and retinopathy of prematurity (82%). Retinopathy of prematurity had developed in the children born at a gestational age of 32 weeks or earlier. Significant risks for visual impairment were found in the association with preterm births, prenatal infections, birth asphyxia, neonatal respiratory difficulties, mechanical ventilation lasting over two weeks, and hyperbilirubinemia. A rise in blind and multi-impaired children was seen during the study period, associating with increases in the survival of preterm infants with extremely low birth weight. The incidence of visual impairment in children born prematurely was seven times higher than in children born at full term. A reliable profile of childhood visual impairment was obtained. The importance of highly qualified antenatal, neonatal, and ophthalmological care was clearly proved. The risks associated with pre- and perinatal disorders during pregnancy must be emphasized, e.g. the risks associated with maternal infections and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs during pregnancy. Obvious needs for gene therapies and other new treatments for hereditary diseases were also proved.

Score for neonatal acute physiology-II and neonatal pain predict corticospinal tract development in premature newborns

Premature infants are at risk for adverse motor outcomes, including cerebral palsy and developmental coordination disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of antenatal, perinatal, and postnatal risk factors for abnormal development of the corticospinal tract, the major voluntary motor pathway, during the neonatal period. In a prospective cohort study, 126 premature neonates (24-32 weeks' gestational age) underwent serial brain imaging near birth and at term-equivalent age. With diffusion tensor tractography, mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract were measured to reflect microstructural development. Generalized estimating equation models examined associations of risk factors on corticospinal tract development. The perinatal risk factor of greater early illness severity (as measured by the Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II [SNAP-II]) was associated with a slower rise in fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract (P = 0.02), even after correcting for gestational age at birth and postnatal risk factors (P = 0.009). Consistent with previous findings, neonatal pain adjusted for morphine and postnatal infection were also associated with a slower rise in fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract (P = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively). Lessening illness severity in the first hours of life might offer potential to improve motor pathway development in premature newborns.