BackgroundProlonged empiric antibiotics therapy in neonates results in several adverse consequences including widespread antibiotic resistance, late onset sepsis (LOS), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), prolonged hospital course (HC) and increase in mortality rates.ObjectivesTo assess the risk factors and the outcome of prolonged empiric antibiotic therapy in very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns.Materials and MethodsProspective study in VLBW neonates admitted to NICU and survived > 2 W, from July 2011 - June 2012. All relevant perinatal and postnatal data including duration of antibiotics therapy (Group I < 2W vs Group II > 2W) and outcome up to the time of discharge or death were documented and compared.ResultsOut of 145 newborns included in the study, 62 were in group I, and 83 in Group II. Average duration of antibiotic therapy was 14 days (range 3 - 62 days); duration in Group I and Group II was 10 ± 2.3 vs 25.5 ± 10.5 days. Hospital stay was 22.3 ± 11.5 vs 44.3 ± 14.7 days, respectively. Multiple regression analysis revealed following risk factors as significant for prolonged empiric antibiotic therapy: VLBW especially < 1000 g, (P < 0.001), maternal Illness (P = 0.003), chorioamnionitis (P = 0.048), multiple pregnancy (P = 0.03), non-invasive ventilation (P < 0.001) and mechanical ventilation (P < 0.001). Seventy (48.3%) infants developed LOS; 5 with NEC > stage II, 12 (8.3%) newborns died. Infant mortality alone and with LOS/NEC was higher in group II as compared to group I (P < 0.002 and < 0.001 respectively).ConclusionsProlonged empiric antibiotic therapy caused increasing rates of LOS, NEC, HC and infant mortality.

Vocabulary learning is one of the most important aspects of second language learning. One controversial way of teaching vocabulary is using authentic materials. The current study focused on teaching vocabulary using authentic materials and its influence on learners' vocabulary achievement. To this end, a population of 80 female Iranian EFL learners aged 17 to 20 from an institute in Bushehr were selected. All of them received Oxford Proficiency Test (OPT). Following the administration of OPT, those whose scores ranged between 105 and 119 (elementary level) were chosen for the purpose of the study. After the OPT only 66 participants were left for both experimental and control groups. Both groups received a pretest at the first session. After that the participants attended the English classes 3 times a week for a month. Every session took one hour. The control group received new vocabularies through their textbook (English Result) in each session and the experimental group received the same vocabularies through The New Straits Time online paper in each session. The students were asked to read and talked about the topics. After a month post-tests were run among all of the participants in both control and experimental groups. The analysis of data showed that the vocabulary knowledge of the participants developed in both groups but the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group.

Background: Chorioamnionitis (CAM) is one of the major risk factors for neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS). Different international guidelines have been developed for diagnosis and care of such neonates. This research aimed to evaluate our neonates and compare them with the guidelines. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted during five years (March 2012 to March 2017), and comprised of neonates (any gestational age) born to mothers with CAM (any criteria). The neonates’ clinical findings and interventions were collected and analyzed. Results: In total, out of 28,988 live born neonates, CAM was found in mothers of 169 neonates (1.7%). Among the studied neonates, 30.8% were born ≤34 week of gestation, 39% had birth weight <2500 g, and 58.6% were asymptomatic. Out of 99 asymptomatic neonates, 47 were observed near mothers and 52 admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The frequency of abnormal tests was 23.07% in asymptomatic vs. 35.7% in symptomatic neonates; three neonates developed culture positive EOS (2.75%) and 68.05% of the neonates received antibiotics. The length of stay was 2.59 ± 1.13 (median = 2.00, IQR = 1.00) days in asymptomatic vs. 15.15 ± 13.67 (median = 7.00, IQR = 15.25) days in symptomatic neonates (P<0.001). Conclusion: The use of guidelines increased the length of stay, lab tests, and antibiotics in asymptomatic and neonates with negative blood culture. In addition to the mother-neonate separation, these guidelines may increase nosocomial infection, antibiotic resistance, and costs; therefore, new guidelines are needed to be developed.

Background: Ideal respiratory support for very low birth weight infants (VLBW) can be selected based on demographic and clinical status at birth. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we included 163 VLBW neonates treated with either invasive or non-invasive respiratory support in their first 72 hours of life in the neonatal intensive care unit of Mahdiyeh hospital, Tehran, Iran. We used descriptive statistics to describe the data, and multiple logistic regression to determine the factors associated with the success rate of different strategies and the choice of strategy for primary respiratory support. All analyses were done using SPSS version 20 and STATA version 12 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The success rates of initial respiratory supports with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP), noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), and INSURE (intubation surfactant extubation) were 63.20%, 42.10% and 61.90%, respectively. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed patent arterial duct (PDA) (yes vs. no: OR = 0.42) had a significant effect on initial respiratory support success (P<0.05). Also, gestational age (>28 vs. ≤28 weeks: OR = 0.26) and 5-min APGAR (≤6 vs. >6: OR = 9.69) had a significant effect on the choice of initial respiratory support in VLBW infants (P<0.05). Conclusion: The neonatal clinical condition may be a predictor of success for initial respiratory support at birth. Since the arterial duct may be open during the first hours of life, more study is needed to verify if early closure of the arterial duct may help increase the success rate of non-invasive respiratory support.

Background: Nosocomial infections increase mortality rate in neonates. Studies have attributed the use of H2 blockers as one of the various factors that increase the risk of nosocomial infections. Objectives: To define the relationship between nosocomial infection and Ranitidine in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants admitted in the NICU of a tertiary care hospital. Patients and Methods: All VLBW infants admitted during the study period of 3 years from April 2008 to March 2011 were included. All relevant pre-and perinatal data including all administered medications was collected from the case notes and documented on a pre-designed questionnaire. Rate of nosocomial infection (NI) had been compared between patients who were administered Ranitidine and those who did not receive this medication. Results: During the study period, 564 VLBW infants were admitted in the NICU; 157, (27.8%) contracted nosocomial infections, 130 (82.8%) developed pneumonia, 21, (13.4%) had sepsis with positive blood cultures and 6 infants (1.1%) developed necrotizing enterocolitis. Factors remaining independently significant for development of NI after adjustment were as follows: RDS (