• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.16-22
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study investigated predictive factors for severe neonatal thrombocytopenia, which greatly increases the need for intensive care and is associated with a high mortality rate in premature infants. Factors adopted for prompt identification of at-risk newborns include blood test results and birth history. This study analyzed the relationship between the presence of severe neonatal thrombocytopenia and the mortality rate. The causes of thrombocytopenia in premature infants were also examined. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 625 premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Chung-Ang University Medical Center. The neonates were classified into 3 groups according to the severity of thrombocytopenia: mild ($100{\times}10^9/L{\leq}platelet<150{\times}10^9/L$), moderate ($50{\times}10^9/L{\leq}platelet<100{\times}10^9/L$), or severe (platelet<$50{\times}10^9/L$). Analysis of blood samples obtained at the onset of thrombocytopenia included platelet count, white blood cell (WBC) count, hemoglobin level, hematocrit level, absolute neutrophil count, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level. Results: Of the 625 premature infants admitted to our NICU, 214 were detected with thrombocytopenia. The mortality rate in thrombocytopenic neonates was 18.2% (39/214), whereas a mortality rate of only 1.0% was observed in non-thrombocytopenic neonates. The major causes of thrombocytopenia were perinatal insufficiency and sepsis in premature infants. Severe thrombocytopenia was noted more frequently in premature infants with higher WBC counts and in those with a younger gestational age. Conclusion: Platelet count, WBC count, and gestational age are reliable predictors for severe neonatal thrombocytopenia. The major causes of thrombocytopenia were perinatal insufficiency and sepsis in premature infants.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.322-333
• /
• 2002

Purpose: The purpose of study was : 1) to analyse the trend of research on the sensory stimulation in newborn in Korea, 2) to suggest direction for further study on the sensory stimulation in newborn and contributing to the use of intervention in newborn. Method: Research studies on the sensory stimulation in newborn were selected from the dissertations, parents-child health. Academic Society Journal, and from Korean Journal of Pediatrcs which were conducted between 1984 and 2002. The total numbers of the studies were 15. These studies were analyzed for 1) time of publication or presentation 2) thesis for a degree or nondegree 3) characteristics of subjects 4) sample size 5) research design 6) type of sensory stimualtion 7) meaurement tool 8) result. Result : 1)The most year of studies were the 1996's～ 2000's. 2) The degree of studies were higher than nondegree. 3) The most characteristics of subjects were the premature infants. 4) The most frequent sample sizes were 11-20. 5) The all research design was nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design in quasi experimental basis. 6) The most type of sensory stimulation was Field massage(tactile and kinesthetic). 7) The measurement tool used all objective tools. 8) The most research data were collected by the measure of the weight, heart rate, behavior state, respiration, stress hormon and positive results. Conclusion: 1) Human sensory stimulation did not seem to harm the infants. 2) several positive effects of sensory stimulation that have been reported previously must be reevaluated. 3) further research will be required large sample size, long-term outcome, individualized stimulation program, early parent-infant contact in order to enhance the development of attachment, to determine the underlying mechanism and theorical frame for these stimulation effect.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.26-30
• /
• 2017

Newborn infants with huge and highly vascular sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) are frequently subjected to renal hypoperfusion secondary to high-output cardiac failure. Any underlying renal dysfunction is a significant risk factor for the development of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). However, reports on CIN in infants are rare. I report here a case of a premature infant born at 28 weeks and 3 days of gestation with a huge SCT who survived preoperative embolization and surgical resection but presented with persistent non-oliguric renal failure that was suggestive of CIN. During radiological intervention, a contrast medium had been administered at about 10 times the manufacturer-recommended dose for pediatric patients. Despite hemodynamic stabilization and normalization of urine output immediately following surgery, the patient's serum creatinine and cystatin-C levels did not return to baseline until 4 months after birth. No signs of reflux nephropathy were observed in follow-up imaging studies. Dosing guidelines for the use of a contrast medium in radiological interventions should be provided for infants or young patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.1095-1098
• /
• 1988

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation[CCAM] is a rare disease that cause respiratory distress in the newborn and infants, but is one of the two causes along with lobar emphysema. This malformation has the pathologic characteristics which can be differentiated from other forms of diffuse cystic disease, i.e. CCAM is marked proliferation of the terminal bronchioles and that can enlarge rapidly by air trapping in cystic areas. The CCAM has a clinical importance because of rapid worsening respiratory distress, with tachypnea, subcostal retraction and cyanosis. This is a strict surgical condition and after operation[lobar, segmental resection or pneumonectomy] the symptoms relieved obviously. We experienced 6 cases of CCAM from July, 1980 to September, 1987 at the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Severance Hospital, College of Medicine, Yonsei University. The male patients were two and female patients were four. The age distribution was from premature to 10 year old. One of them was 27 weeks gestational premature female who was borne dead. The other 5 patients were performed on thoractomy[1 case pneumonectomy and 5 cases lobectomy]. The postoperative courses were good and no complications were seen.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2021

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a consequence of the failure of a decrease in the elevated pulmonary vascular resistance after birth. Pulmonary vasodilators, including inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), have been the mainstream of targeted therapy for PPHN, but no drugs have been proven to be effective in preterm infants with PPHN. The fetus remains hemodynamically stable despite lower arterial oxygen tension and pulmonary blood flow as compared to full-term newborns. This adaptation is due to the lower oxygen requirement and high oxygen-carrying capacity of fetal circulation. The immature lungs of preterm infants are more vulnerable to reactive oxygen species, and the response of pulmonary vascular dilatation to blood oxygen tension is blunted in preterm infants. Recently, iNO has been reported to be effective in a selected group of preterm infants, such as those with prolonged preterm rupture of membrane-oligohydramnios-pulmonary hypoplasia sequence. PPHN in preterm infants, along with maximum supportive treatment based on fetal physiology and meticulous assessment of cardiovascular function, is in dire need of new treatment guidelines, including optimal dosing strategies for pulmonary vasodilators.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2019

The objective of this study is to assess the effect of interpregnancy interval on fetal outcome among women with term premature rupture of membrane in public hospitals, Ethiopia, 2017. Facility based follow up study was conducted in Southern Ethiopia public hospitals from February 30, 2017 to August 20, 2017. Among 150 observed mothers with interpregnancy interval of less two years, 46.67 % (95% CI: (7.170, 29.93) of them experienced adverse birth outcome, but among 173 women with interpregnancy interval of two and above years, 5.78% (95% CI: (7.170, 29.93) of them experienced adverse birth outcome. The odds of adverse birth outcome were more among women with interpregnancy interval of less than two years (AOR=17.899, 95%CI: [6.425, 49.859]. The effect of interbirth interval of less than two years on adverse birth outcome of newborn was increased by length labor of >=24 hours, induction of labour and cesarean section delivery. Interpregnancy interval of less than two years, in collaboration with other risk factors, is the main predictor of adverse birth outcome. Therefore especial attention should be given to mothers with birth spacing by using family planning methods to reduce adverse birth outcome.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.70-78
• /
• 2016

21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD), most common form of congenial adrenal hyperplasia, is categorized into classical forms, including the salt-wasting (SW) and the simple virilizing (SV) types, and nonclassical (NC) forms based on the severity of the disease. Newborn screening for 21-OHD has been performed in Korea since 2006. $17{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) is a marker for 21-OHD and is measured using a radioimmunoassay or a fluoroimmunoassay. Premature and low birth weight infants are likely to give false positive 17-OHP findings, therefore, cutoff values for these infants should be determined based on gestational weeks or birth weight. ACTH simulation test is helpful when the 17-OHP shows equivocal increase, and it is gold standard for diagnosis of NC type. Recently, liquid chromatography linked with tandem mass spectrometry was developed for rapid, highly specific, and sensitive analysis of multiple analytes. Molecular analysis of CYP21A2 is useful for confirming diagnosis of mild SV or NC type, predicting prognoses, and genetic counseling. In order to make newborn screening for 21-OHD more efficient, early detection of boy with SW type, early determination of girl with ambiguous genitalia, detection of NC type, and overcoming of false positive in premature and low birth weight infants should be considered. Above all, early treatment should be started when the patient is suspected as having 21- OHD clinically before confirming the diagnosis to prevent adrenal crisis. Here, author reviewed recent articles of guideline and proposed guideline for 21-OHD.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.111-115
• /
• 2007

Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) is a worldwide protozoan parasite causing a wide rage of intestinal disease in human, including asymptomatic cyst carriage, acute diarrhea, fulminant dysentery, and chronic nondysenteric colitis. Extraintestinal amebiasis such as hepatic abscess also occurs. Spread of the infection occurs due to consumption of food and water that is contaminated with the cyst. Amebiasis is rarely reported in the newborn period. We report a case of a 6-day-old female newborn with watery diarrhea that progressed to bloody mucoid diarrhea with persistent fever. The fresh stool microscopic examination disclosed E. histolytica trophozoites. She was born of spontaneous vaginal delivery at 41 weeks of gestation after premature rupture of membrane. She was given breast-feeding after birth, then entered postpartum care center. Her mother's stool microscopic examination showed negative result. Infection might have occurred from giving sweetened water following birth or contamination of the baby's bottles at the postpartum care center. She was treated with oral metronidazole for 24 days.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.58 no.6
• /
• pp.224-229
• /
• 2015

Purpose: Thyroid dysfunction is common in preterm infants. Congenital hypothyroidism causes neurodevelopmental impairment, which is preventable if properly treated. This study was conducted to describe the characteristics of thyroid dysfunction in very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs), evaluate risk factors of hypothyroidism, and suggest the reassessment of thyroid function with an initially normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) as part of a newborn screening test. Methods: VLBWIs (January 2010 to December 2012) were divided into two groups according to dysfunction-specific thyroid hormone replacement therapy, and associated factors were evaluated. Results: Of VLBWIs, 246 survivors were enrolled. Only 12.2% (30/246) of enrolled subjects exhibited thyroid dysfunction requiring thyroid hormone replacement. Moreover, only one out of 30 subjects who required thyroid hormone treatment had abnormal thyroid function in the newborn screening test with measured TSH. Most of the subjects in the treatment group (22/30) exhibited delayed TSH elevation. Gestational age, Apgar score, antenatal steroids therapy, respiratory distress syndrome, patent ductus arteriosus, sepsis, intraventricular hemorrhage, postnatal steroids therapy, and duration of mechanical ventilation did not differ between the two groups. Birth weight was smaller and infants with small for gestational age were more frequent in the treatment group. Conclusion: Physicians should not rule out suggested hypothyroidism, even when thyroid function of a newborn screening test is normal. We suggest retesting TSH and free thyroxine in high risk preterm infants with an initially normal TSH level using a newborn screening test.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 2021

Purpose: Intussusception is the most common cause of bowel obstruction in children; however, it is rarely diagnosed in newborn infants. This study aimed to describe the clinical features of intussusception in newborn infants. Methods: Medical records of eight patients diagnosed with intussusception during the newborn period at Ulsan University Hospital between March 2007 and March 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Among the eight cases, two occurred in the intrauterine period and six occurred in the postnatal period. Intrauterine intussusception presented with symptoms of bowel obstruction within 1 to 2 days after birth, and ileal atresia was diagnosed simultaneously through exploratory laparotomy. All the postnatal patients were extremely low birth weight infants (median gestational age and birth weight: 25⁺⁶ weeks and 745 g, respectively). Four cases were diagnosed preoperatively using abdominal ultrasonography. One patient was diagnosed by exploratory laparotomy because the clinical symptoms were nonspecific and difficult to differentiate from those of necrotizing enterocolitis, a more prevalent complication in preterm infants. The site of intussusception in all six patients was the small bowel. Meckel's diverticulum (one case) and meconium obstruction (two cases) were found to be the lead point. Conclusion: Neonatal intussusception tends to show different clinical features according to its period of occurrence. Intussusception, especially in preterm infants, has nonspecific clinical features; therefore, clinicians should always be cautious of this disease for its early diagnosis.