What are the survival odds for very preterm infants (22-26 weeks’ gestation) given the best intensive perinatal care? About 70%, according to a collaborative study from Sweden.
RESULT: One-year Survival of Extremely Preterm Infants After Active Perinatal Care in Sweden
JAMA
The authors believe their results can be generalized to countries with universal access to health care and active perinatal programs.
More than half of the babies had lung or retinal complications. About one in 10 had neurological problems.
Scroll down slightly to find a related study from the US that is troubling to both pediatricians and parents.
A “significant proportion” of very low birth weight infants develop cerebral palsy many months after they have left the hospital apparently in the clear, according to a recent study from the US.
Diagnosis of cerebral palsy at 30 months of age was associated with postnatal steroid use (one of the survival factors in the Swedish study) and with periventricular leukomalacia or severe intraventricular hemorrhage.
RESULT: Stability of Neuromotor Outcomes at 18 and 30 Months of Age After Extremely Low Birth Weight Status
Pediatrics
Farther down in the same search results we found another relevant study from the US.
Researchers warn that there is no “safe window” during which a premature infant will not risk neurodevelopmental impairment as a result of postnatal steroid treatment.
RESULT: Impact of Postnatal Corticosteroid Use on Neurodevelopment at 18 to 22 Months’ Adjusted Age
Pediatrics
However, a study from the Netherlands suggests that most preterm infants who develop cerebral palsy due to periventricular hemorrhage do better by school age than has been expected.
RESULT: Functional Outcome at School Age of Preterm Infants With Periventricular Hemorrhagic Infarction
Pediatrics
Clinical Trials
Watch for results of a trial of low-dose hydrocortisone for very low birth weight preemies at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia, just completed in Texas.
IN THE JOURNALS
Find what’s new and learn more about it
Long-awaited results from the BARI-2D trial of diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) have been published.
RESULT: A Randomized Trial of Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease
New England Journal of Medicine
Note the second result in this search. Another recent study argues against screening for CAD in patients with type 2 diabetes.
RESULT: Cardiac Outcomes After Screening for Asymptomatic Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
JAMA
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