Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; etiology ; Male ; Premature Birth ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk factors for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very preterm infants and establish a nomogram model for predicting the risk of NEC. METHODS: A total of 752 very preterm infants who were hospitalized from January 2015 to December 2021 were enrolled as subjects, among whom 654 were born in 2015-2020 (development set) and 98 were born in 2021 (validation set). According to the presence or absence of NEC, the development set was divided into two groups: NEC (n=77) and non-NEC (n=577). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent risk factors for NEC in very preterm infants. R software was used to plot the nomogram model. The nomogram model was then validated by the data of the validation set. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, and the calibration curve were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram model, and the clinical decision curve was used to assess the clinical practicability of the model. RESULTS: The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that neonatal asphyxia, sepsis, shock, hypoalbuminemia, severe anemia, and formula feeding were independent risk factors for NEC in very preterm infants (P<0.05). The ROC curve of the development set had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.833 (95%CI: 0.715-0.952), and the ROC curve of the validation set had an AUC of 0.826 (95%CI: 0.797-0.862), suggesting that the nomogram model had a good discriminatory ability. The calibration curve analysis and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed good accuracy and consistency between the predicted value of the model and the actual value. CONCLUSIONS Neonatal asphyxia, sepsis, shock, hypoalbuminemia, severe anemia, and formula feeding are independent risk factors for NEC in very preterm infant. The nomogram model based on the multivariate logistic regression analysis provides a quantitative, simple, and intuitive tool for early assessment of the development of NEC in very preterm infants in clinical practice.
Asphyxia/complications* ; Child ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/etiology* ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases/etiology* ; Nomograms ; Sepsis/complications*

OBJECTIVETo retrospectively characterize clinical features of preterm infants born to mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODSClinical data of preterm infants born to mothers with SLE in Peking Union Medical College Hospital over a period of more than 10 years (2000-2012) and preterm babies born to mothers without SLE in the same hospital and during the same time period were collected. Preterm-associated complications in the two groups of babies were comparatively analyzed.

RESULTSDuring the time period studied, 128 women with SLE delivered a total of 134 babies, 86 at full-term and 42 at preterm. Of the 42 preterm infants, 4 were diagnosed with neonatal lupus syndrome. Neonatal infection was the most common complication in preterm infants born to SLE mothers, which occurred in 20 cases (47.62%), followed by small for gestational age (28.57%), neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (26.19%), congenital heart disease (14.29%), and neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage (4.76%). In the same time period, 2 308 preterm babies were born to mothers without SLE. In these preemies, 16.81% experienced neonatal infection, 13.21% were small for gestational age, and 5.16% had congenital heart disease. All these parameters were significantly lower than in preterm babies born to mothers with SLE (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSLE preterm offspring seem to be more prone to neonatal infection, small for gestational age and at a higher risk of congenital heart disease as compared to preterm babies from women without SLE.

Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; etiology ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical features of feeding intolerance in preterm infants in order to provide clinical evidence for preventing feeding intolerance.

METHODSA total of 716 preterm infants hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between January 2007 and December 2009 were enrolled. The clinical data of the infants were retrospectively studied.

RESULTSFeeding intolerance occurred in 197 (27.5%) out of 716 infants, with an incidence of 76.4% in the very low birth weight infants. Simple gastric retention (47.2%) was found as the most common clinical manifestation. Feeding intolerance usually occurred within 3 days after feeding. Compared with the preterm infants with feeding success, the preterm infants with feeding intolerance showed lower gestational age and birth weight, more delayed feeding and higher rate of asphyxia and respiratory diseases (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the gender, maternal age, ethnic group, delivery way and the incidence of fetal distress between the two groups. With increasing gestational age, increasing birth weight, early feeding, the incidence of feeding intolerance in preterm infants was reduced.

CONCLUSIONSThe low gestational age, low birth weight, delayed feeding and complications may be associated with the development of feeding intolerance in preterm infants.

Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; etiology ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors for hearing impairment in premature infants.

METHODSA total of 895 premature infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from January to December 2010 were evaluated using distortion product otoacoustic emission to detect hearing impairment. The failure rates in initial screening and secondary screening were recorded. The risk factors for failure to pass hearing screenings were elucidate using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSThe failure rate in initial screening was 38.4%, and the failure rate in secondary screening was 18.3%. In the auditory brainstem response test conducted at three months after birth, the failure rate was 22.2%. In premature infants with a gestational age of 28-29(+6) weeks, 60.5% did not pass the initial screening; 48.1% of the premature infants with a birth weight of 1 001-1 499  g failed the initial screening; 70.0% of the premature infants with a birth weight of ≤1 000  g failed the initial screening; 53.8% of the premature infants who had severe asphyxia failed the initial screening; 45.0% of the premature infants who used invasive ventilation failed the initial screening; 47.9% of the premature infants with a total bilirubin of ≥340 µmol/L failed the initial screening; 54.6% of the premature infants with septicemia failed the initial screenings. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the following independent risk factors for failing the initial and secondary hearing screenings: gestational age, birth weight, hyperbilirubinemia and septicemia.

CONCLUSIONSPremature infants are susceptible to hearing impairment because they have immature organs and tissues and incomplete blood-brain barrier function and are sensitive to such factors as hyperbilirubinemia and infection. Early hearing screening and follow-up are necessary for premature infants to ensure timely interventions.

Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; etiology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Neonatal Screening ; Risk Factors

Cerebral Hemorrhage ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Cerebral Ventricles ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship of vitamin D level with the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants.

METHODSA total of 429 preterm infants with a gestational age of <36 weeks, who were admitted to the department of neonatology within 2 hours after birth between January and December, 2016, were enrolled in the study. According to whether these infants developed NEC, the 429 subjects were divided into NEC group (n=22) and non-NEC group (n=407). Peripheral venous blood was collected from these preterm infants and their mothers at admission to measure the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD). The two groups were compared in terms of the serum 25-OHD levels of preterm infants and their mothers. Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between the serum 25-OHD levels of preterm infants and their mothers. The distribution of vitamin D levels in preterm infants was compared between the two groups. The univariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for NEC in preterm infants.

RESULTSThe serum 25-OHD levels of preterm infants and their mothers in the NEC group were significantly lower than in the non-NEC group (P<0.001). In both groups, the serum 25-OHD levels of mothers and preterm infants were positively correlated with each other (P<0.001). The distribution of vitamin D levels (normal vitamin D level, low vitamin D level, vitamin D deficiency, and severe vitamin D deficiency) was significantly different between the NEC and non-NEC groups (P<0.001). The univariate logistic regression analysis showed that gestational age, birth weight, 25-OHD levels of preterm infants and their mothers, the duration of mechanical ventilation, the duration of oxygen inhalation, and the length of hospital stay were associated with the development of NEC (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe serum 25-OHD levels of preterm infants and their mothers may be related to the development of NEC in preterm infants, suggesting that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy is important for preventing the development of NEC in preterm infants.

Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; etiology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; complications

Bacterial Infections ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors for preterm birth and complications in late preterm infants.

METHODSThe clinical data of 287 late preterm infants were retrospectively studied. Two hundred and eighty-eight term infants served as the control group. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with late preterm birth. The common complications in late preterm infants were investigated.

RESULTSSeveral significant risk factors for late preterm birth were identified by logistic regression analysis: twin pregnancy, gestational diabetes mellitus, eclampsia or preeclampsia, placenta previa, placental abruption and premature rupture of membranes. The duration of hospitalization in late preterm infants was longer than that in term infants. The complications were common in late preterm infants, with a high prevalence of anemia, aspiration pneumonia, hypoglycemia and intracranial hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONSThe late preterm infants are much more likely to suffer various complications. It is important to reduce the incidence of late preterm births by decreasing perinatal risk factors above mentioned.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; etiology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors for early-onset necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants with very/extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 194 VLBW/ELBW preterm infants with NEC who were admitted to Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to December 2021. These infants were divided into early-onset group (onset in the first two weeks of life; n=62) and late-onset group (onset two weeks after birth; n=132) based on their onset time. The two groups were compared in terms of perinatal conditions, clinical characteristics, laboratory examination results, and clinical outcomes. Sixty-two non-NEC infants with similar gestational age and birth weight who were hospitalized at the same period as these NEC preterm infants were selected as the control group. The risk factors for the development of early-onset NEC were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the late-onset group, the early-onset group had significantly higher proportions of infants with 1-minute Apgar score ≤3, stage III NEC, surgical intervention, grade ≥3 intraventricular hemorrhage, apnea, and fever or hypothermia (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that feeding intolerance, blood culture-positive early-onset sepsis, severe anemia, and hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus were independent risk factors for the development of early-onset NEC in VLBW/ELBW preterm infants (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS VLBW/ELBW preterm infants with early-onset NEC have more severe conditions compared with those with late-onset NEC. Neonates with feeding intolerance, blood culture-positive early-onset sepsis, severe anemia, or hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus have a higher risk of early-onset NEC.
Child ; Infant ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; Infant, Premature, Diseases/etiology* ; Risk Factors