Project description:ImportanceRacial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white non-Hispanic individuals in the United States. Where minority infants receive care and the role that may play in the quality of care received is unclear.ObjectiveTo determine the extent of segregation and inequality of care of very low-birth-weight and very preterm infants across neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the United States.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study of 743 NICUs in the Vermont Oxford Network included 117 982 black, Hispanic, Asian, and white infants born at 401 g to 1500 g or 22 to 29 weeks' gestation from January 2014 to December 2016. Analysis began January 2018.Main outcomes and measuresThe NICU segregation index and NICU inequality index were calculated at the hospital level as the Gini coefficients associated with the Lorenz curves for black, Hispanic, and Asian infants compared with white infants, with NICUs ranked by proportion of white infants for the NICU segregation index and by composite Baby-MONITOR (Measure of Neonatal Intensive Care Outcomes Research) score for the NICU inequality index.ResultsInfants (36 359 black [31%], 21 808 Hispanic [18%], 5920 Asian [5%], and 53 895 white [46%]) were segregated among the 743 NICUs by race and ethnicity (NICU segregation index: black: 0.50 [95% CI, 0.46-0.53], Hispanic: 0.58 [95% CI, 0.54-0.61], and Asian: 0.45 [95% CI, 0.40-0.50]). Compared with white infants, black infants were concentrated at NICUs with lower-quality scores, and Hispanic and Asian infants were concentrated at NICUs with higher-quality scores (NICU inequality index: black: 0.07 [95% CI, 0.02-0.13], Hispanic: -0.10 [95% CI, -0.17 to -0.04], and Asian: -0.26 [95% CI, -0.32 to -0.19]). There was marked variation among the census regions in weighted mean NICU quality scores (range: -0.69 to 0.85). Region of residence explained the observed inequality for Hispanic infants but not for black or Asian infants.Conclusions and relevanceBlack, Hispanic, and Asian infants were segregated across NICUs, reflecting the racial segregation of minority populations in the United States. There were large differences between geographic regions in NICU quality. After accounting for these differences, compared with white infants, Asian infants received care at higher-quality NICUs and black infants, at lower-quality NICUs. Explaining these patterns will require understanding the effects of sociodemographic factors and public policies on hospital quality, access, and choice for minority women and their infants.

Project description:Preterm birth survivors are at a higher risk of growth and developmental disabilities compared to their term counterparts. Development of strategies to lower the complications of preterm birth forms the rising need of the hour. Appropriate nutrition is essential for the growth and development of preterm infants. Early administration of optimal nutrition to preterm birth survivors lowers the risk of adverse health outcomes and improves cognition in adulthood. A group of neonatologists, pediatricians, and nutrition experts convened to discuss and frame evidence-based recommendations for optimizing nutrition in preterm low birth weight (LBW) infants. The following were the primary recommendations of the panel: (1) enteral feeding is safe and may be preferred to parenteral nutrition due to the complications associated with the latter; however, parenteral nutrition may be a useful adjunct to enteral feeding in some critical cases; (2) early, fast, or continuous enteral feeding yields better outcomes compared to late, slow, or intermittent feeding, respectively; (3) routine use of nasogastric tubes is not advisable; (4) preterm infants can be fed while on ventilator or continuous positive airway pressure; (5) routine evaluation of gastric residuals and abdominal girth should be avoided; (6) expressed breast milk (EBM) is the first choice for feeding preterm infants due to its beneficial effects on cardiovascular, neurological, bone health, and growth outcomes; the second choice is donor pasteurized human milk; (7) EBM or donor milk may be fortified with human milk fortifiers, without increasing the osmolality of the milk, to meet the high protein requirements of preterm infants; (8) standard fortification is effective and safe but does not fulfill the high protein needs; (9) use of targeted and adjustable fortification, where possible, helps provide optimal nutrition; (10) optimizing weight gain in preterm infants prevents long-term cardiovascular complications; (11) checking for optimal weight and sucking/swallowing ability is essential prior to discharge of preterm infants; and (12) appropriate counseling and regular follow-up and monitoring after discharge will help achieve better long-term health outcomes. This consensus summary serves as a useful guide to clinicians in addressing the challenges and providing optimal nutrition to preterm LBW infants.

Project description:ImportanceCycled (intermittent) phototherapy (PT) might adequately control peak total serum bilirubin (TSB) level and avoid mortality associated with usual care (continuous PT) among extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants (401-1000 g).ObjectiveTo identify a cycled PT regimen that substantially reduces PT exposure, with an increase in mean peak TSB level lower than 1.5 mg/dL in ELBW infants.Design, setting, and participantsThis dose-finding randomized clinical trial of cycled PT vs continuous PT among 305 ELBW infants in 6 US newborn intensive care units was conducted from March 12, 2014, to November 14, 2018.InterventionsTwo cycled PT regimens (≥15 min/h and ≥30 min/h) were provided using a simple, commercially available timer to titrate PT minutes per hour against TSB level. The comparator arm was usual care (continuous PT).Main outcomes and measuresMean peak TSB level and total PT hours through day 14 in all 6 centers and predischarge brainstem auditory-evoked response wave V latency in 1 center. Mortality and major morbidities were secondary outcomes despite limited power.ResultsConsent was requested for 452 eligible infants and obtained for 305 (all enrolled) (mean [SD] birth weight, 749 [152] g; gestational age, 25.7 [1.9] weeks; 81 infants [27%] were multiple births; 137 infants [45%] were male; 112 [37%] were black infants; and 107 [35%] were Hispanic infants). Clinical and demographic characteristics of the groups were similar at baseline. After a preplanned interim analysis of 100 infants, the regimen of 30 min/h or more was discontinued, and the study proceeded with 2 arms. Comparing 128 infants receiving PT of 15 min/h or more with 128 infants receiving continuous PT among those surviving to 14 days, mean peak TSB levels were 7.1 vs 6.4 mg/dL (adjusted difference, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.4-1.1 mg/dL) and mean total PT hours were 34 vs 72 (adjusted difference, -39; 95% CI, -45 to -32). Wave V latency adjusted for postmenstrual age was similar in 37 infants receiving 15 min/h or more of PT and 33 infants receiving continuous PT: 7.42 vs 7.32 milliseconds (difference, 0.10; 95% CI, -0.11 to 0.30 millisecond). The relative risk for death was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.40-1.54), with a risk difference of -4.5% (95% CI, -10.9 to 2.0). Morbidities did not differ between groups.Conclusions and relevanceCycled PT can substantially reduce total PT with little increase in peak TSB level. A large, randomized trial is needed to assess whether cycled PT would increase survival and survival without impairment in small, preterm infants.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01944696.

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Cycled light in the intensive care unit for preterm and low birth weight infants.

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