Late-onset sepsis remains an important risk factor for death among VLBW preterm infants and for prolonged hospital stay among VLBW survivors. Strategies to reduce late-onset sepsis and its medical, social, and economic toll need to be addressed urgently.

Whole-body hypothermia reduces the risk of death or disability in infants with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Network on care of and morbidity and mortality rates for very low birth weight infants, according to gestational age (GA).METHODS-Perinatal/neonatal data were collected for 9575 infants of extremely low GA (22-28 weeks) and very low birth weight (401-1500 g) who were born at network centers between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2007. RESULTS-Rates of survival to discharge increased with increasing GA (6% at 22 weeks and 92% at 28 weeks); 1060 infants died at ≤ 12 hours, with most early deaths occurring at 22 and 23 weeks (85% and 43%, respectively). Rates of prenatal steroid use (13% and 53%, respectively), cesarean section (7% and 24%, respectively), and delivery room intubation (19% and 68%, respectively) increased markedly between 22 and 23 weeks. Infants at the lowest GAs were at greatest risk for morbidities. Overall, 93% had respiratory distress syndrome, 46% patent ductus arteriosus, 16% severe intraventricular hemorrhage, 11% necrotizing enterocolitis, and 36% late-onset sepsis. The new severity-based definition of bronchopulmonary dysplasia classified more infants as having bronchopulmonary dysplasia than did the traditional definition of supplemental oxygen use at 36 weeks (68%, compared with 42%). More than one-half of infants with extremely low GAs had undetermined retinopathy status at the time of discharge. Center differences in management and outcomes were identified.CONCLUSION-Although the majority of infants with GAs of ≥24 weeks survive, high rates of morbidity among survivors continue to be observed. Keywordsextremely low gestation; very low birth weight; morbidity; death Over the previous 2 decades, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NRN) has monitored trends in morbidity and mortality rates among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born at the university centers that constitute the NRN. 1-6 Increased VLBW infant survival rates have paralleled improvements in prenatal, obstetric, and neonatal care.7 , 8 NRN data suggest that a plateau in VLBW infant survival rates might have been reached, despite increased use of prenatal corticosteroid treatment, prenatal antibiotic treatment, and early neonatal surfactant treatment. 6 Previous NRN reports presented patient characteristics, interventions, and outcomes according to birth weight (BW), with an upper limit of 1500 g. Such BW-specific data may be skewed by more-mature infants with growth restriction. The aim of this study was to evaluate management, hospital complications, and mortality rates among infants with gestational ages (GAs) of 22 to 28 weeks who were born at NRN centers between 2003 and 2007. METHODS Study Population and Clinical OutcomesInfants born alive at NRN centers in 2003-2007 with GAs of 22 0/7 to 28 6/7 weeks and BWs of 401 to 1500 g were studied, including those with congenital anomalies. These infants were part of the NRN VLBW registry. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Research personnel collected maternal pregnancy/delivery data soon after birth and inf...

These analyses suggest that growth velocity during an ELBW infant's NICU hospitalization exerts a significant, and possibly independent, effect on neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes at 18 to 22 months' corrected age.

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