Es Draper

Neuropsychological and educational problems at school age associated with neonatal encephalopathy

Background: Adverse cognitive and educational outcomes are often ascribed to perinatal hypoxia without good evidence. Objective: To investigate neurocognitive and behavioural outcomes after neonatal encephalopathy. Methods: Sixty five children with neonatal encephalopathy, identified using the Trent Neonatal Survey database for 1992–1994, were followed up at the age of 7 years. They were examined at school, with a classmate for those in mainstream school, by a paediatrician and a psychologist. Neonatal encephalopathy was graded as moderate or severe using published definitions. Findings: Fifteen children had major disability, all with cerebral palsy; eight were in special school with severe cognitive impairment (IQ<55). Disability was present in 6% of the moderate and 42% of the severe encephalopathy group. Of the 50 children without motor disability, cognitive scores were lowest in the severe group (mean IQ difference from peers −11.3 points (95% confidence interval (CI) −19.0 to −3.6) and with similar scores for the moderate group compared with classmates (mean difference −1.7 points (95% CI −7.3 to +3.9). Neuropsychological testing showed similar findings in all domains. In particular, memory and attention/executive functions were impaired in the severe group. Despite relatively small differences in performance of the moderate group, special educational needs were identified more often in both encephalopathy groups, associated with lower achievement on national curriculum attainment targets. Interpretation: After neonatal encephalopathy, subtle cognitive impairments are found in the absence of neuromotor impairment. Subtle impairments are found more commonly after a more severe clinical course. Studies of brain protection strategies require long term follow up to study effects on cognitive outcome.

Factors affecting the incidence of chronic lung disease of prematurity in 1987, 1992, and 1997.

OBJECTIVE To determine changes in the incidence of chronic lung disease of prematurity between 1987, 1992, and 1997. METHODS Observational study based on data derived from a geographically defined population: Trent Health Region, United Kingdom. Three time periods were compared: 1 February 1987 to 31 January 1988 (referred to as 1987); 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 (referred to as 1992); 1997. All infants of ⩽ 32 completed weeks gestation born to Trent resident mothers within the study periods and admitted to a neonatal unit were included. Rates of chronic lung disease were determined using two definitions: (a) infants who remained dependent on active respiratory support or increased oxygen at 28 days of age; (b) infants who remained dependent on active respiratory support or increased oxygen at a corrected age of 36 weeks gestation. RESULTS Between 1987 and 1992 there was a fall in the birth rate, but a significant increase was noted in the number of babies of ⩽ 32 weeks gestation admitted to a neonatal unit. There was no significant change in survival when the two groups of infants were directly compared. However, mean gestation and birth weight fell. Adjusting for this change showed a significant improvement in survival (28 day survival: odds ratio (OR) = 1.69; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.23 to 2.33. Survival to 36 week corrected gestation: OR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.98). These changes were accompanied by a large increase in the incidence of chronic lung disease even after allowing for the change in population characteristics (28 day definition: OR = 2.20; 95% CI = 1.47 to 3.30. 36 week definition: OR = 3.04; 95% CI = 1.91 to 4.83). Between 1992 and 1997 a different pattern emerged. There was a further increase in the number of babies admitted for neonatal care at ⩽ 32 weeks gestation despite a continuing fall in overall birth rate. Survival, using both raw data and data corrected for changes in gestation and birth weight, improved significantly in 1997 (adjusted data: 28 day survival: OR = 1.72 (95% CI = 1.22 to 2.38); survival to 36 week corrected gestation: OR = 1.90 (95% CI = 1.36 to 2.64)). Rates of chronic lung disease showed no significant change between 1992 and 1997 despite improved survival (adjusted data: 28 day definition: OR = 0.72 (95% CI = 0.50 to 1.03); 36 week definition: OR = 0.88 (95% CI = 0.61 to 1.26). CONCLUSIONS Current high rates of chronic lung disease are the result of policies to offer neonatal intensive care more widely to the most immature infants. Recent improvements in survival have been achieved without further increases in the risk of infants developing chronic lung disease.

Use of evidence based practices to improve survival without severe morbidity for very preterm infants: results from the EPICE population based cohort

Objectives To evaluate the implementation of four high evidence practices for the care of very preterm infants to assess their use and impact in routine clinical practice and whether they constitute a driver for reducing mortality and neonatal morbidity. Design Prospective multinational population based observational study. Setting 19 regions from 11 European countries covering 850 000 annual births participating in the EPICE (Effective Perinatal Intensive Care in Europe for very preterm births) project. Participants 7336 infants born between 24+0 and 31+6 weeks’ gestation in 2011/12 without serious congenital anomalies and surviving to neonatal admission. Main outcome measures Combined use of four evidence based practices for infants born before 28 weeks’ gestation using an “all or none” approach: delivery in a maternity unit with appropriate level of neonatal care; administration of antenatal corticosteroids; prevention of hypothermia (temperature on admission to neonatal unit ≥36°C); surfactant used within two hours of birth or early nasal continuous positive airway pressure. Infant outcomes were in-hospital mortality, severe neonatal morbidity at discharge, and a composite measure of death or severe morbidity, or both. We modelled associations using risk ratios, with propensity score weighting to account for potential confounding bias. Analyses were adjusted for clustering within delivery hospital. Results Only 58.3% (n=4275) of infants received all evidence based practices for which they were eligible. Infants with low gestational age, growth restriction, low Apgar scores, and who were born on the day of maternal admission to hospital were less likely to receive evidence based care. After adjustment, evidence based care was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (risk ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.60 to 0.87) and in-hospital mortality or severe morbidity, or both (0.82, 0.73 to 0.92), corresponding to an estimated 18% decrease in all deaths without an increase in severe morbidity if these interventions had been provided to all infants. Conclusions More comprehensive use of evidence based practices in perinatal medicine could result in considerable gains for very preterm infants, in terms of increased survival without severe morbidity.

Antenatal umbilical Doppler abnormalities: an independent risk factor for early onset neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) emergency seen in neonatal units. Many factors have been considered as potentially important aetiologically, including gut ischaemia, sepsis and feeding. However, evidence remains equivocal.

Use of magnesium sulfate before 32 weeks of gestation: a European population-based cohort study

Objectives The use of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in European obstetric units is unknown. We aimed to describe reported policies and actual use of MgSO4 in women delivering before 32 weeks of gestation by indication. Methods We used data from the European Perinatal Intensive Care in Europe (EPICE) population-based cohort study of births before 32 weeks of gestation in 19 regions in 11 European countries. Data were collected from April 2011 to September 2012 from medical records and questionnaires. The study population comprised 720 women with severe pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP and 3658 without pre-eclampsia delivering from 24 to 31 weeks of gestation in 119 maternity units with 20 or more very preterm deliveries per year. Results Among women with severe pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP, 255 (35.4%) received MgSO4 before delivery. 41% of units reported use of MgSO4 whenever possible for pre-eclampsia and administered MgSO4 more often than units reporting use sometimes. In women without pre-eclampsia, 95 (2.6%) received MgSO4. 9 units (7.6%) reported using MgSO4 for fetal neuroprotection whenever possible. In these units, the median rate of MgSO4 use for deliveries without severe pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and HELLP was 14.3%. Only 1 unit reported using MgSO4 as a first-line tocolytic. Among women without pre-eclampsia, MgSO4 use was not higher in women hospitalised before delivery for preterm labour. Conclusions Severe pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP are not treated with MgSO4 as frequently as evidence-based medicine recommends. MgSO4 is seldom used for fetal neuroprotection, and is no longer used for tocolysis. To continuously lower morbidity, greater attention to use of MgSO4 is needed.

Evidence-based neonatal unit practices and determinants of Postnatal corticosteroid-use in preterm births below 30 weeks ga in Europe. A population-based cohort study

Background Postnatal corticosteroids (PNC) were widely used to treat and prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants until studies showed increased risk of cerebral palsy and neurodevelopmental impairment. We aimed to describe PNC use in Europe and evaluate the determinants of their use, including neonatal characteristics and adherence to evidence-based practices in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods 3917/4096 (95,6%) infants born between 24 and 29 weeks gestational age in 19 regions of 11 European countries of the EPICE cohort we included. We examined neonatal characteristics associated with PNC use. The cohort was divided by tertiles of probability of PNC use determined by logistic regression analysis. We also evaluated the impact of the neonatal unit’s reported adherence to European recommendations for respiratory management and a stated policy of reduced PNC use. Results PNC were prescribed for 545/3917 (13.9%) infants (regional range 3.1–49.4%) and for 29.7% of infants in the highest risk tertile (regional range 5.4–72.4%). After adjustment, independent predictors of PNC use were a low gestational age, small for gestational age, male sex, mechanical ventilation, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to treat persistent ductus arteriosus and region. A stated NICU policy reduced PNC use (odds ratio 0.29 [95% CI 0.17; 0.50]). Conclusion PNC are frequently used in Europe, but with wide regional variation that was unexplained by neonatal characteristics. Even for infants at highest risk for PNC use, some regions only rarely prescribed PNC. A stated policy of reduced PNC use was associated with observed practice and is recommended.

4.2 Infant neurodevelopmental outcomes following late and moderately preterm birth

Introduction Very preterm (<32 weeks) infants are at high risk for neurodevelopmental sequelae. Less is known about outcomes following birth at late and moderately preterm gestations (LMPT; 32–36 weeks). Methods 1130 LMPT and 1255 term-born (≥37 weeks) babies were recruited at birth to the Late and Moderately Preterm Birth Study (LAMBS). At 2-years, parents completed the Parent Report of Children’s Abilities-Revised (PARCA-R) to assess cognitive impairment and a questionnaire to assess neurosensory (vision, hearing, motor) impairment. Neurodevelopmental disability was defined where the child had a moderate/severe impairment in at least one domain. Results Parents of 651 (59%) LMPT and 771 (62%) term-born children responded at 2 years. Overall, 1.6% of LMPT infants and 0.3% of controls had a neurosensory impairment (RR 6.00; 95%CI 1.32, 27.28). Rates of cognitive impairment were higher in general (LMPT 15.6%; Term 10.0%) and LMPT infants at increased risk of cognitive delay (RR 1.56; 95% CI 1.18, 2.06). Overall, 16% of LMPT and 10% of term-born infants had neurodevelopmental disability (RR 1.57; 95% CI 1.19, 2.07). Male sex, non-white ethnicity, lower socio-economic status, pre-pregnancy hypertension, preeclampsia and recreational drug use were risk factors for neurodevelopmental disability among LMPT children. Conclusions Children born LMPT are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental disability; although the risk was largest for neurosensory impairment, the number of children affected by cognitive problems was far greater. Preeclampsia and antenatal recreational drug use are markers of poor outcome and may be potentially modifiable factors for reducing adverse outcomes following LMPT birth.

The potential impact on costs and staffing of introducing clinical networks and British Association of Perinatal Medicine standards to the delivery of neonatal care

Objective: To produce models to estimate the impact of introducing clinical networks and the 2001 BAPM standards to the delivery of neonatal care. Design: Prospective observational study using a geographically defined population and data collected by questionnaire on staffing levels and cot availability. Setting: Trent Health Region UK. Subjects: All infants born to Trent resident mothers at or before 32 weeks gestation between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 1999. Staffing numbers and cot availability for neonatal care in 2001. Methods: A modelling exercise was carried out using information for all neonatal admissions for Trent resident infants. Three models were investigated: (a) the current care provision; (b) a network where three lead centres provided the intensive care for the region and the remaining units provided either high dependency or special care alone; (c) a network where six lead centres provided the intensive care for the region and the remaining units provided either high dependency or special care alone. Overall costings, staffing levels, and cot requirements were calculated for each model. Data on staffing levels and cot availability were used to calculate current care provision costings. Results: The current cost of running the service is approximately £33.35 million, although a proportion of nursing posts are currently unfilled. Estimates for the introduction of a three centre model meeting BAPM 2001 standards range from £37.31 to £43.40 million. Equivalent figures for the six centre model were: £36.32 to £42.62 million. Approximately 370 and 230 babies a year would be involved in transfer in the three and six centre models respectively. This is in contrast with 374 and 368 urgent transfers that actually took place in 1998 and 1999 respectively. Conclusion: The costs associated with the introduction of managed clinical networks and meeting BAPM standards of care are not excessive, especially when considered against the likely implementation timetable of perhaps 7–10 years. Attracting and retaining sufficient staff will pose the major challenge.

Cohort study from 11 European countries highlighted differences in the use and efficacy of hypothermia prevention strategies after very preterm birth

This study investigated the different strategies used in 11 European countries to prevent hypothermia, which continues to affect a large proportion of preterm births in the region.

Authors’ reply to Page and Rafi

We agree with Page and Rafi about the importance of identifying the key evidence based obstetric and neonatal interventions that can be monitored to assess quality of care for very preterm infants.1 2 As our study shows,3 evaluating the use and impact of four evidence based practices together sets higher standards and focuses attention on care processes. The EPICE (Effective Perinatal Intensive Care in Europe) project’s international dimension is a strength, as it reveals underuse of evidence based care in many health systems and cultures. But international …