Our data show that mechanical ventilation with heliox reduces resistive work of breathing and ventilatory support requirements and improves gas exchange in preterm infants.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common neonatal congenital malformation. The variety and severity of clinical presentation depend on the cardiac structures involved and their functional impact. The management of newborns with CHD requires a multidisciplinary approach, in which the nutritional aspect plays an important role. An adequate caloric intake during either preand post-surgical period, in fact, improves the outcome of these patients. In addition, the failure to thrive of these children in childhood has been related to long-term cognitive delay (attention deficit disorders, aggressive behaviour and poor social and emotional development). To date, there is a lack of standardized feeding protocols and caloric goals about how to feed neonates with CHD, and current practice varies widely between centres. The latest American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines reiterate the importance of proteins, and recommend early start of enteral nutrition, also in the most severe heart diseases, such as univentricular forms. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), the most frequent and feared complication of early feeding of these newborns, often represents an obstacle in spreading this practice. Furthermore, as demonstrated in premature infants, breastfeeding seems to reduce the incidence of NEC. That is why breastfeeding must be encouraged, even if it can be difficult for these mothers due to delivery complications, associated with infant disease. In addition, eating difficulties may persist even after discharge, because these patients require nutritional support through nasogastric tubes or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies.

The administration of the adequate amount of nutrients helps to improve a correct short-term linear growth and long-term neurocognitive development. To reduce the extra-uterine growth delay in very low birth weight infants (VLBW) the best strategy of nutrition (parenteral or enteral) should be established rapidly, since the first day of life. In preterm infants, nutrition can be administered parenterally and enterally. Prematurity is the most frequent indication for parenteral nutritional support due to intestinal functional immune deficiency, deficiency of digestive enzymatic systems and reduced nutritional reserve of these infants. In terms of enteral nutrition, breast milk is the first choice. In case of preterm and VLBW infants, fortifiers are used to overcome breast milk's protein and mineral deficiencies. When breast milk is not available, specific infant formula is the alternative. IntroductionThe improvement of neonatal care has led to an increase in the survival rate of very low birth weight infants (VLBW) infants (<1500 g). Nonetheless, growth failure is still a very frequent issue with incidence that ranges from 43 to 97% among various neonatal units. Thus, more aggressive nutritional strategies have been developed: first the parenteral nutrition then the enteral nutrition. Parenteral nutrition is often the only source of nutrients that can be used during the period of clinical instability. 1 Enteral nutrition must be gradually introduced as soon as possible; in presence of a good enteral tolerance, the parenteral nutrition should be rapidly discontinued, thus reducing its related side effects. 2 Parenteral nutritionAssuring an adequate nutrition to preterm infants is a real challenge, especially during the first hours after birth, when a total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is needed to meet the high nutritional requirements but it is often complicated by glucose and lipids intolerance. 3 Parenteral nutrition (PN) is an intravenous nutritional therapy that includes the administration of fluids, electrolytes, glucose, proteins, lipids, minerals, vitamins and oligo-elements. 4 It should be started as soon as possible within the first 24 hours of life. It can be prescribed in individualized or standardized administration; PN is provided through a central catheter (umbilical vein catheter or percutaneous central catheter) or, temporarily, via a peripheral route in the case of partial parenteral solutions and low osmolar load (<600 mOsm/L). Fluids and electrolytesIn the first week of life changes occur in the extracellular and intracellular compartments, resulting in a redistribution of fluids. This is one of the reason that explains the weight loss (5-10% of birth weight) that usually takes place during the first days of life. The fluid intake in the newborn (VLBW) and very low birth weight (ELBW) starts with 80-90 mL/kg/day and then is gradually increased by 10-20 mL/kg/day up to 160-180 and 150-160 mL/kg/day, respectively. 2,5-8 Electrolytic supplementation usually begins on the third-fourth day of...

The CD64 index could be used as a reliable marker of EOS in VLBW neonates and it is an independent risk factor for late-onset infections.

Various gases are utilized in respiratory care. Though oxygen is the most frequently administered, the use of other gases has become common practice in recent years. This report reviews the literature concerning some of the therapeutic gases utilized in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Inhaled Nitric Oxide is a selective pulmonary vasodilator largely employed in the Intensive Care Units. Its effects are well known as well as cost/effectiveness and consequently limitations, mainly in the developed countries. An alternative gas with comparable characteristics is Onitrosoethanol. In experimental studies, this gas seems to improve oxygenation and systemic haemodynamics, reducing the rebound hypoxaemia and the production of toxic by-products. Helium-oxygen mixture is less common, although it is widely known to both the decrease the pressure required to ventilate the lung and the resistive work of breathing, improving gas exchange in particular clinical conditions. Recent studies showed its efficacy and feasibility both in infants and in preterms. Carbon dioxide is usually employed for the management of some specific congenital heart defects characterised by various grades of pulmonary vascular resistance. Its major effect is the reduction of pulmonary blood flow to decrease cardiac work. The Xenon, already known for its anaesthetic proprieties although rarely used, has recently been considered for neuroprotection, opening a new field of interest in neonatal hypoxia/ischemia syndrome.