Lindsay F. Holzapfel

Point-of-care (POC) testing offers expedited results with lower blood volume requirements than central laboratory (CL) tests, particularly for low-birth-weight infants. A retrospective cohort included 118 patients with paired POC and CL tests within one hour in the first 14 postnatal days. Differences and agreement were assessed using linear mixed-effect models that account for within and between-subject variations. Compared to CL, POC testing underestimated sodium (6.0 mEq/L), potassium (0.1 mEq/L), chloride (5.1 mEq/L), and glucose (2.3 mg/dL), and overestimated hemoglobin (0.08 g/dL) and hematocrit (0.8%). Differences (CL- POC) varied by postnatal age and sample type, with larger differences for sodium and chloride that decreased with age and smaller differences in capillary and venous than arterial samples. Glucose and hemoglobin differences increased over time, while hematocrit remained stable. POC results underestimated sodium, potassium, chloride, and glucose, and overestimated hemoglobin and hematocrit.

Objective Accurate length measurements are essential for infants to identify growth deficiencies and adjust nutrition accordingly. The gold standard for length measurement in infants is using a length board with two people to obtain an accurate clinical assessment. We aimed to improve the number of measurements with the desired minimal difference, defined as a discrepancy ≤1 cm between nurse and audit measurements, in our center. Our secondary aim was to increase and maintain the number of length boards available. Methods This quality improvement (QI) study used a before-and-after intervention comparison design in a single-level IV neonatal intensive care unit between June 2023 and December 2023, completing two Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles and one sustainability cycle that targeted nursing interventions. Blinded audits were performed by the QI team < 48 h after bedside nurse measurement and discrepancies between measurements were recorded. Chi-squared testing determined the significance between measurement discrepancies at each time point. Results The QI team measured 34 infants at each time point for 136 total measurements. There was a significant improvement in the desired minimal difference between the pre-intervention and post-PDSA #2 groups (38% vs 74%, p = 0.003) and between the pre-intervention and sustainability cycle groups (38% vs 71%, p = 0.007). There was no significant difference between PDSA #2 and our sustainability cycle. There was a 32% improvement among infants with consistent length percentiles between nurse and audit measures after PDSA #2 (42% vs 74%, p = 0.012). The number of length boards was increased during the study. Anonymous nursing surveys revealed an improvement in the perceived ease of use of length boards (51–71%) and minimized knowledge gaps. Conclusions During the time of our intervention, there was an improvement in the precision of linear measurements and length board usage. Future PDSA cycles will focus on increasing the availability of length boards and establishing continued length board education.

Objective Quantify blood fatty acids and growth outcomes in preterm infants fed the exclusive human milk diet. Methods A prospective cohort study of 30 infants 24–34 weeks gestation and ≤1250 g fed the exclusive human milk diet. Blood fatty acids were quantified at two time points. Comparisons were made using two-sample t-tests and Wilcoxon rank sum. Results Donor human milk-fed (n = 12) compared to mother’s own milk-fed infants (n = 18) from birth to after 28 days of life, had an increased interval change of linoleic to docosahexaenoic acid ratio (5.5 vs. −1.1 mole percent ratio, p = 0.034). Docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid interval changes were similar between groups. The arachidonic acid change was similar between groups (−2.3 vs. −0.9 mole percent, p = 0.37), however, both experienced a negative change across time. At 36 weeks postmenstrual age, growth velocities were similar for groups. Conclusion An exclusive human milk diet maintains birth docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid concentrations. However, the postnatal deficit in arachidonic acid was not prevented.

Background: Bilirubin neurotoxicity (BN) occurs in premature infants at lower total serum bilirubin levels than term infants and causes neurodevelopmental impairment. Usual dose lipid infusions in preterm infants may increase free fatty acids sufficiently to cause bilirubin displacement from albumin, increasing passage of unbound bilirubin (UB) into the brain leading to BN and neurodevelopmental impairment not reliably identifiable in infancy. These risks may be influenced by whether cycled or continuous phototherapy is used to control bilirubin levels. Objective: To assess differences in wave V latency measured by brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER) at 34–36 weeks gestational age in infants born ≤ 750 g or < 27 weeks’ gestational age randomized to receive usual or reduced dose lipid emulsion (half of the usual dose) irrespective of whether cycled or continuous phototherapy is administered. Methods: Pilot factorial randomized controlled trial (RCT) of lipid dosing (usual and reduced) with treatment groups balanced between cycled or continuous phototherapy assignment. Eligible infants are born at ≤ 750 g or < 27 weeks’ gestational age enrolled in the NICHD Neonatal Research Network RCT of cycled or continuous phototherapy. Infants will randomize 1:1 to reduced or usual dose lipid assignment during the first 2 weeks after birth and stratified by phototherapy assignment. Free fatty acids and UB will be measured daily using a novel probe. BAER testing will be performed at 34–36 weeks postmenstrual age or prior to discharge. Blinded neurodevelopmental assessments will be performed at 22–26 months. Intention-to-treat analyses will be performed with generalized linear mixed models with lipid dose and phototherapy assignments as random effects covariates, and assessment for interactions. Bayesian analyses will be performed as a secondary analysis. Discussion: Pragmatic trials are needed to evaluate whether lipid emulsion dosing modifies the effect of phototherapy on BN. This factorial design presents a unique opportunity to evaluate both therapies and their interaction. This study aims to address basic controversial questions about the relationships between lipid administration, free fatty acids, UB, and BN. Findings suggesting a reduced lipid dose can diminish the risk of BN would support the need for a large multicenter RCT of reduced versus usual lipid dosing. Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov, NCT04584983, Registered 14 October 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04584983 Protocol version: Version 3.2 (10/5/2022).

Objective: Small for gestational age (SGA) preterm infants (PT) are at greatest risk for growth failure. Our objective was to assess the impact of an exclusive human milk diet (HUM) on growth velocities and neonatal morbidities from birth to discharge in a SGA population. Study design: Multicenter, retrospective cohort study, subgroup analysis of SGA PT comparing a cow’s milk diet (CMD) with HUM diet. Results: At birth 420 PT were classified as SGA (197 CMD group, 223 HUM group). Demographics and anthropometric measurements were similar. HUM group PT showed improvement in length Z score at discharge (p = 0.024) and reduction in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (p = 0.004). Conclusion: SGA PT fed a HUM diet had significantly decreased incidence of NEC, surgical NEC, and late-onset sepsis. Due to concerns about growth in a HUM diet, it is reassuring SGA infants fed the HUM diet had similar growth to CMD diet with trends toward improvement.