Precision and accuracy of clinical and radiological signs in premature infants at risk of patent ductus arteriosus

Article Abstract:

Neither physical examination nor chest X rays appear to be sufficiently accurate in diagnosing or ruling out patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature infants. In PDA, a blood vessel that acts to bypass the lungs during fetal life remains open after birth, resulting in poor oxygenation. Between three and five doctors and nurse practitioners independently examined each of 100 infants who weighed between 750 and 1,750 grams. Chest X rays were taken and evaluated independently by the same examiners. Diagnostic conclusions were compared with ultrasound studies, which provided definitive diagnosis of the presence or absence of PDA. Twenty-three percent of the infants had PDA. Only modest agreement was found among examiners for diagnosis of the same infant. The combination of abnormal signs that most accurately predicted PDA still only identified 77% of cases. False positive diagnoses were more common for infants on ventilators and false negative diagnoses for infants not on ventilators.

Diagnosis, Patent ductus arteriosus

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Associations between family history of asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and childhood asthma in very low birth weight children

Article Abstract:

Associations between family history of asthma, childhood asthma, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very low birth weight (VLBW) children have been studied. Family history of asthma may be associated with premature labor. It may also be associated with BPD and chronic lung disease (CLD) of prematurity. It was found that in children without radiographic evidence of BPD, family history of asthma was associated with use of bronchodilators and childhood asthma. Some evidence of association between family history of asthma and premature birth was found, but not associated with severity of neonatal BPD/CLD.

Research, Risk factors, Chronic diseases, Pediatric diseases, Demographic aspects, Family medicine, Asthma, Asthma in children, Childhood asthma, Premature birth, Wheeze, Wheezing, Chronic diseases in children, Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

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Functional Assessment of a Multicenter Very Low-Birth-Weight Cohort at Age 5 Years

Article Abstract:

The use of pulmonary surfactant and corticosteroids has improved the outcome of many children who had very low birth weights. Researchers followed 425 such babies born between 1988 and 1991 until they were five years old. The introduction of surfactant therapy did not reduce the rate of cerebral palsy, which affected 13% of the children. Babies who had a lung disease called bronchopulmonary dysplasia or bleeding in the brain were most likely to develop cerebral palsy. Most of the children were able to function in most activities of daily living.

Prognosis

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