Mak Azad Chowdhury

Effect of topical treatment with skin barrier-enhancing emollients on nosocomial infections in preterm infants in Bangladesh: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Infections and complications of prematurity are main causes of neonatal mortality. Very low birthweight premature infants have compromised skin barrier function, and are at especially high risk for serious infections and mortality. Our aim was to ascertain whether topical application of emollients to enhance skin barrier function would prevent nosocomial infections in this population. METHODS We randomly assigned infants born before week 33 of gestation after admission to Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Bangladesh, to daily massage with sunflower seed oil (n=159) or Aquaphor (petrolatum, mineral oil, mineral wax, lanolin alcohol; n=157). We then compared incidence of nosocomial infections among infants in these two groups with an untreated control group (n=181) by an intention-to-treat analysis. FINDINGS 20 patients in the control group, and 22 in each of the treatment groups left the hospital early, but were included in the final analysis. Overall, infants treated with sunflower seed oil were 41% less likely to develop nosocomial infections than controls (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.96, p=0.032). Aquaphor did not significantly reduce the risk of infection (0.60, 0.35-1.03, p=0.065). No adverse events were seen. INTERPRETATION Our findings confirm that skin application of sunflower seed oil provides protection against nosocomial infections in preterm very low birthweight infants. The low cost, availability, simplicity, and effect of treatment make it an important intervention for very low birthweight infants admitted to hospital in developing countries.

Ciprofloxacin Treatment in Preterm Neonates in Bangladesh: Lack of Effects on Growth and Development

Background: Quinolone-induced arthropathic toxicity in weight-bearing joints observed in juvenile animals during preclinical testing has largely restricted the routine use of ciprofloxacin in the pediatric age group. As histopathologic, radiologic and magnetic resonance imaging monitoring evidence has gathered supporting the safety of fluoroquinolones in children, many pediatricians have started to prescribe quinolones to some patients on a compassionate basis. Objective: The objective of this study was to ascertain the safety of ciprofloxacin in preterm neonates <33 weeks gestational age treated at Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital in Bangladesh. Methods: Long-term follow up was done to monitor the growth and development of preterm infants who were administered intravenous ciprofloxacin in the neonatal period. Ciprofloxacin was used only as a life-saving therapy in cases of sepsis produced by bacterial agents resistant to other antibiotics. Another group of preterm neonates with septicemia who were not exposed to ciprofloxacin, but effectively treated with other antibiotics and followed up, were matched with cases for gender, gestational age and birth weight and included as a comparison group. Forty-eight patients in the ciprofloxacin group and 66 patients in the comparison group were followed up for a mean of 24.7 ± 18.5 months and 21.6 ± 18.8 months, respectively. Results: No osteoarticular problems or joint deformities were observed in the ciprofloxacin group during treatment or follow up. No differences in growth and development between the groups were found. Conclusions: Ciprofloxacin is a safe therapeutic option for newborns with sepsis produced by multiply resistant organisms.

Cost-effectiveness of skin-barrier-enhancing emollients among preterm infants in Bangladesh

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of topical emollients, sunflower seed oil (SSO) and synthetic Aquaphor, versus no treatment, in preventing mortality among hospitalized preterm infants (< 33 weeks gestation) at a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh. METHODS Evidence from a randomized controlled efficacy trial was evaluated using standard Monte Carlo simulation. Programme costs were obtained from a retrospective review of activities. Patient costs were collected from patient records. Health outcomes were calculated as deaths averted and discounted years of life lost (YLLs) averted. Results were deemed cost-effective if they fell below a ceiling ratio based on the per capita gross national income of Bangladesh (United States dollars, US

Nosocomial Sepsis Risk Score for Preterm Infants in Low-resource Settings

470). FINDINGS Aquaphor and SSO were both highly cost-effective relative to control, reducing neonatal mortality by 26% and 32%, respectively. SSO cost US

Risk factors for sclerema neonatorum in preterm neonates in Bangladesh.

61 per death averted and US

Bacteriological profile and sensitivity pattern of neonatal sepsis

2.15 per YLL averted (I

Nosocomial Bloodstream Infections in Children in Intensive Care Unit: Organisms, Sources, Their Sensitivity Pattern and Outcome of Treatment

6.39, international dollars, per YLL averted). Aquaphor cost US

Evolving Antibiotic Resistance: A Great Threat to Medical Practice

162 per death averted and US

Newborn Care Practices by the Mother / Care Givers’ and Their Knowledge about Signs of Sickness of Neonates

5.74 per YLL averted (I

Importance of Cardiac Murmur in Diagnosing Congenital Heart Disease in Neonatal Period

17.09 per YLL averted). Results were robust to sensitivity analysis. Aquaphor was cost-effective relative to SSO with 77% certainty: it cost an incremental US