Necrotizing enterocolitis

Probiotic Use and Safety in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Matched Cohort Study

Posted on by Kayla Korzekwinski

Journal of Pediatrics • July 2020

Access article on PubMed.

Gray KD, Messina JA, Cortina C, Owens T, Fowler M, Foster M, Gbadegesin S, Clark RH, Benjamin DK, Zimmerman KO, Greenberg RG

This study sought to determine the prevalence of probiotic administration in infants born preterm over time, as well as the association between probiotic administration and select adverse outcomes. Probiotic use increased over the study period and varied among neonatal intensive care units. Probiotic administration was associated with a decrease in NEC and death, and an increase in Candida infection, but no increase in bloodstream infection or meningitis.

Dosing and Safety of Off-label Use of Caffeine Citrate in Premature Infants

Posted on by Kayla Korzekwinski

Journal of Pediatrics • August 2019

Access article on PubMed.

Puia-Dumitrescu M, Smith PB, Zhao J, Soriano A, Payne EH, Harper B, Bendel-Stenzel E, Moya F, Chhabra R, Ku L, Laughon M, Wade KC

Aim to characterize the dosing and safety of off-label caffeine citrate in a contemporary cohort of extremely premature infants. We used electronic health records (2010-2013) from 4 neonatal intensive care units to identify infants of ≤28 weeks of gestational age exposed to caffeine citrate. Of 410 infants with a median (IQR) gestational age of 26 (24-27) weeks, 95% received caffeine citrate for >0 days. Infants received a median (IQR) daily dose of 8 (5-10) mg/kg/day. Incidences of clinical events on day of caffeine citrate exposure were death 2%, patent ductus arteriosus ligation 12%, and medical and surgical necrotizing enterocolitis 5% and 4%, respectively.

In-hospital outcomes of premature infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Posted on by Kayla Korzekwinski

Journal of Perinatology • July 2017

Access article on PubMed.

Jackson W, Hornik CP, Messina J, Guglielmo K, Watwe A, Delancy G, Valdez A, MacAuthur T, Peter-Wohl S, Smith PB, Clark R, Laughon MM

This study characterized in-hospital outcomes of premature infants diagnosed with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). A majority of infants diagnosed with severe BPD were discharged home by 44 weeks of postmenstrual age. These results may inform discussions with families regarding the expected hospital course of infants diagnosed with severe BPD.

Safety of histamine-2 receptor blockers in hospitalized VLBW infants

Posted on by Kayla Korzekwinski

Early Human Development • August 2016

Access article on PubMed.

Romaine A, Ye D, Ao Z, Fang F, Johnson O, Blake T, Benjamin DK Jr, Cotten CM, Testoni D, Clark RH, Chu VH, Smith PB, Hornik CP; Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act – Pediatric Trials Network.

Histamine-2 receptor (H2) blockers are often used in very low birth weight infants despite lack of population specific efficacy and safety data. We sought to describe safety and temporal trends in histamine-2 receptor (H2) blocker use in hospitalized very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Rifampin use and safety in hospitalized infants

Posted on by Kayla Korzekwinski

American Journal of Perinatology • May 2015

Access article on PubMed.

Arnold CJ, Ericson J, Kohman J, Corey KL, Oh M, Onabanjo J, Hornik CP, Clark RH, Benjamin DK Jr, Smith PB, Chu VH; Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act–Pediatric Trials Network Administrative Core Committee.

This study aims to examine the use and safety of rifampin in hospitalized infants. Observational study of clinical and laboratory adverse events among infants exposed to rifampin from 348 neonatal intensive care units managed by the Pediatrix Medical Group between 1997 and 2012.

Anaerobic antimicrobial therapy after necrotizing enterocolitis in VLBW infants

Posted on by Kayla Korzekwinski

Pediatrics • January 2015

Access article on PubMed.

Autmizguine J, Hornik CP, Benjamin DK Jr, Laughon MM, Clark RH, Cotten CM, Cohen-Wolkowiez M, Benjamin DK, Smith PB; Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act—Pediatric Trials Network Administrative Core Committee.

To evaluate the effect of anaerobic antimicrobial therapy for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) on clinical outcomes in very low birth weight (≤1500 g) infants. We identified very low birth weight infants with NEC from 348 US NICUs from 1997 to 2012. Anaerobic antimicrobial therapy was defined by antibiotic exposure on the first day of NEC. We matched (1:1) infants exposed to anaerobic antimicrobial therapy with infants who were not exposed by using a propensity score stratified by NEC severity (medical and surgical).

Intestinal Fatty-Acid Binding Protein and Metronidazole Response in Premature Infants

Posted on by Kayla Korzekwinski

Journal of Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine • November 2014

Access article on PubMed.

Sampson MR, Bloom BT, Arrieta A, Capparelli E, Benjamin DK Jr, Smith PB, Kearns GL, van den Anker J, Cohen-Wolkowiez M.

In premature infants with suspected intra-abdominal infection, biomarkers for treatment response to antimicrobial therapy are lacking. Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) is specific to the enterocyte and is released in response to intestinal mucosal injury. I-FABP has not been evaluated as a surrogate marker of disease response to antimicrobial therapy. We examined the relationship between metronidazole exposure and urinary I-FABP concentrations in premature infants with suspected intra-abdominal infection.