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Very preterm infants have a marked innate inflammatory response at the time of late-onset sepsis
Preterm babies have a heightened risk of infection as their immune system is not mature. The Neonatal Health Team is exploring new ways to diagnose, prevent and treat infections in WA's smallest patients .
Appropriate use of antibiotics is life-saving in neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS), but overuse of antibiotics is associated with antimicrobial resistance and long-term adverse outcomes.
Sildenafil is used to treat pulmonary hypertension in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) settings. As multiple intravenous (IV) medications are co-administered in NICU settings, we sought to investigate the physicochemical compatibility of sildenafil with a range of IV drugs.
Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of childhood mortality. Limited diagnostic tools and mechanistic insights have hampered our abilities to develop prophylactic or therapeutic interventions. Biomarkers in human neonatal sepsis have been repeatedly identified as associated with dysregulation of angiopoietin signaling and altered arachidonic acid metabolism.
Infants at risk of HIE require early identification and initiation of therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Earlier treatment with TH is associated with better outcomes. aEEG is frequently used when making the decision whether to commence TH. As this is often limited to tertiary centers, TH may be delayed if the infant requires transport to a center that provides it.
Heat-inactivated probiotics (HPs) may provide an effective alternative to live probiotics by avoiding their risks (eg, probiotic sepsis) while retaining the benefits. We assessed the safety and efficacy of a HP in very preterm (VP: gestation <32 weeks) infants.
Impaired oxygen delivery or blood flow to the brain around the time of birth can cause injury. Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy is a leading cause of death and disability in term and near-term infants.
Skin care for very and extremely preterm infant is an important and previously underappreciated topic. Coconut oil skin care for preterm infants is a promising option, but several important questions remain including the theoretical potential for allergic sensitization.
The neonatal skin is central to early survival and immune development. Far from being a passive mechanical barrier, it integrates physical, chemical, and microbial defences that together protect the infant in the immediate postnatal period. In preterm infants, structural immaturity, reduced antimicrobial capacity, and altered microbial colonisation confer heightened vulnerability to infection and inflammation.