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Biomedical subjects

O Flidel-Rimon

Publications and source records attributed to O Flidel-Rimon.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

The effect of prenatal consultation with a neonatologist on human milk feeding in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of prenatal consultation (PC) with a neonatologist on the incidence and duration of human milk feeding (HMF) in preterm infants. DESIGN/METHODS: A retrospective matched case-control study was preformed at a perinatal centre. Study infants were preterm infants (23-35 wk) whose mothers had received PC emphasizing the importance of HMF. Control infants were matched by birthweight, gestational age and multiplicity. RESULTS: Each group included 29 mothers and 46 preterm infants. Mean gestational age was 30.1 +/- 3 wk in both groups. Mean birthweight was 1329 +/- 489 (PC) and 1334 +/- 441 g (control). PC infants received HMF for significantly longer, both in the hospital and after discharge (hospital: PC 37 +/- 34 d vs control 15 +/- 19 d, p = 0.001; discharge PC 60 +/- 57 d vs control 21 +/- 32 d; p = 0.0001). No significant difference in neonatal morbidity was detected between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: PC is associated with significantly longer HMF in preterm infants, both in hospital and after discharge.

Adult↗

Early enteral feeding and nosocomial sepsis in very low birthweight infants.

BACKGROUND: The interrelations between early enteral feeding, necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), and nosocomial sepsis (NS) remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of age at the introduction of enteral feeding on the incidence of NS and NEC in very low birthweight (VLBW< 1500 g) infants. METHODS: Data were collected on the pattern of enteral feeding and perinatal and neonatal morbidity on all VLBW infants born in one centre during 1995-2001. Enteral feeding was compared between infants with and without NS and/or NEC. RESULTS: The study sample included 385 infants. Of these, 163 (42%) developed NS and 35 (9%) developed NEC. Enteral feeding was started at a significantly earlier mean (SD) age in infants who did not develop nosocomial sepsis (2.8 (2.6) v 4.8 (3.7) days, p = 0.0001). Enteral feeding was introduced at the same age in babies who did or did not develop NEC (3.1 (2) v 3.7 (3) days, p = 0.28). Over the study period, the mean annual age at the start of enteral feeding fell consistently, and this correlated with the mean annual incidence of NS (r(2) = 0.891, p = 0.007). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed age at start of enteral feeding, respiratory distress syndrome, and birth weight to be the most significant predictors of risk of NS (p = 0.0005, p = 0.024, p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Early enteral feeding was associated with a reduced risk of NS but no change in the risk of NEC in VLBW infants. These findings support the use of early enteral feeding in this high risk population, but this needs to be confirmed in a large randomised controlled trial.

Age Factors↗

High-dose liposomal amphotericin B in the therapy of systemic candidiasis in neonates.

High-dose (5-7 mg/kg/day) liposomal amphotericin B was evaluated prospectively during the period 1995-2001 in 41 episodes of systemic candidiasis occurring in 37 neonates (36 of the 37 were premature infants with very low birth weights). Median age at the onset of systemic candidiasis was 17 days. Candida spp. were isolated from blood in all patients and from urine, skin abscesses and peritoneal fluid in 6, 5 and 1 neonates, respectively. Candidiasis was due to Candida parapsilosis in 17 cases, Candida albicans in 15 cases, Candida tropicalis in 5 cases, Candida guilliermondii in 2 cases, Candida glabrata in 2 cases and an unidentified Candida sp. in 1 case. Twenty-eight, five and eight infants received 7, 6-6.5 and 5 mg/kg/day, respectively. Median duration of therapy was 18 days; median cumulative dose was 94 mg/kg. Fungal eradication was achieved in 39 of 41 (95%) episodes; median duration of therapy until fungal eradication was 8.7+/-4.5 days. Fungal eradication was achieved after 10.9+/-4.8 days in patients who had received previous antifungal therapy compared to 8.2+/-4.3 days in those treated with liposomal amphotericin B as first-line therapy. One patient died due to systemic candidiasis on day 12 of therapy. High-dose liposomal amphotericin B was effective and safe in the treatment of neonatal candidiasis. Fungal eradication was more rapid in patients treated early with high doses and in patients who received high-dose liposomal amphotericin B as first-line therapy.

Amphotericin B↗

Reduction in multiresistant nosocomial infections in neonates following substitution of ceftazidime with piperacillin/tazobactam in empiric antibiotic therapy.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of a change in antibiotic protocol on pathogens that cause neonatal sepsis. METHODS: Suspected sepsis was treated with amikacin together with ceftazidime in 1995-1998 and piperacillin/tazobactam in 1999-2002. RESULTS: The annual rate for Klebsiella sepsis fell from 2.5 to 0.45 cases per 1000 admission days (p = 0.0001) between the two periods studied. CONCLUSION: The change from ceftazidime to piperacillin/tazobactam is associated with a decrease in the incidence of Klebsiella sepsis.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Breast-feeding multiples.

Human breast milk is the best nutrition for human infants. Its advantages over the milk of other species, such as cows, include both a reduced risk for infections, allergies and chronic diseases, together with the full nutritional requirements for growth and development. Breast-feeding is as important for multiples as for singletons. Despite the advantages, multiples receive less breast-feeding than singletons. Common reasons for not breast-feeding multiples include the fear of not fulfilling the infants' needs and the difficulty of coping with the demands on the mother's time. In addition, many multiples are delivered prematurely and by Caesarean section. Maternal pain and discomfort together with anxiety over the infants' condition are not conducive to successful breast-feeding. During lactation, the mother needs to add calories to her daily diet. It has been recommended to add approximately 500-600 kcal/day for each infant. Thus, between eating, nursing and sleeping, life is very busy for the mother of multiples. However, there is evidence that, with appropriate nutrition, one mother can nourish more than one infant. Also, simultaneous breast-feeding can save much time. Combined efforts of parents, close family, friends and the medical team can help to make either full or partial breast-feeding of multiples possible. However, when breast-feeding is not possible, health care workers need to carefully avoid judgmental approaches that may induce feelings of guilt.

Breast Feeding↗

Effects of milk-borne colony stimulating factor-1 on circulating growth factor levels in the newborn infant.

Colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) concentrations in colostrum were 20 to 25 times higher than in serum at birth and declined with lactation. No difference in concentrations of circulating CSF-1, however, were noted between breast-fed and formula-fed infants, suggesting that milk-borne CSF-1 may feed back negatively on endogenous growth factor levels, may act locally in the gastrointestinal tract, or may be locally degraded.

Animals↗

Sepsis at a neonatal intensive care unit: a four-year retrospective study (1989-1992).

During the 4-year period 1989-1992, 18,227 neonates were born at Kaplan Hospital and 614 (3.4%) were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. During this period, 120 episodes (6.6/1000 live births) of neonatal sepsis were recorded in 109 neonates (6/1000 live births). The incidence of early-onset sepsis was 19/109 (17%). The main pathogens of early-onset sepsis were S. agalactiae (42%) and E. coli (32%). Seven of the 8 S. agalactiae cases were recorded during 1989-1990. The main pathogens of late-onset sepsis were Klebsiella spp. (31%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (18%) and Candida spp (16%). There were 11 cases (10%) of meningitis, 5 due to Klebsiella spp. The overall fatality rate due to sepsis was 14% (0.8/1000 live births) with an early-onset sepsis death rate of 37%. The mortality from S. agalactiae sepsis was 63%. The main trends recorded during the period of the study were 1) the emergence of S. agalactiae as the main pathogen of early-onset sepsis, followed by a sharp decrease in its incidence during the last part of the study, 2) the emergence of extremely virulent, multi-antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella organisms, and 3) the persistent high incidence of Candida sepsis.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

An outbreak of antibiotic multiresistant Klebsiella at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel, November 1991 to April 1992.

From November 1991 through April 1992, 8 infants developed systemic infections due to antibiotic multiple resistant Klebsiellaa (MRK). All were premature and 6 of the 8 weighed less than 1100 g; 7 of the 8 had received previous antibiotic therapy. Five infections occurred during the first week of life. MRK were isolated from blood (8 cases), tracheal secretions (TS-6), stool (3), and CSF (1). All Klebsiella blood isolates were resistant to ampicillin, mezlocillin, and cefotaxime, 7 of 8 to ceftazidime and amikacin, and 4 of 7 to aztreonam; all isolates were sensitive to quinolones and imipenem. Four infants died. In all 4 of the isolates, they were sensitive only to quinolones and imipenem, and the empiric therapy used for suspected sepsis proved to be inappropriate. The outbreak was terminated by temporary closure of NICU in May 1992. Strict hand washing practices were reemphasized, and the previous empiric antibiotic protocol used for suspected sepsis (mezlocillin plus amikacin, and lately ceftazidime plus amikacin) was changed to imipenem and amikacin in the risk population. At closure, 5 additional infants had MRK in stools and/or tracheal suction specimens. Development of MRK organisms should dictate a rational use of empiric antibiotics for neonatal infections in NICU.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) in the treatment of neonatal candidiasis in very low birth weight infants.

UNLABELLED: AmBisome (2.5-7 mg/kg/day as a continuous 1 h infusion) was evaluated prospectively from September 1994 to January 1998 in 24 very low birth weight infants (mean birth weight 847+/-244 g, mean gestational age 26 weeks) with systemic candidiasis. Mean age at onset of candidemia was 17 days. One patient had two episodes of candidiasis. Thirteen infants failed previous antifungal therapy with amphotericin B (with or without 5-flucytosine). Candida spp. were isolated from the blood in all 25 episodes and from skin abscesses and urine in four infants each, respectively. There were 13 isolates of Candida albicans, ten of Candida parapsilosis, two of Candida tropicalis and one of Candida glabrata. One infant had a mixed infection with C. albicans and C. parapsilosis. The mean duration of therapy was 21 days; the cumulative AmBisome dose was 94 mg/kg. Fungal eradication was achieved in 92% of the episodes; mean duration of AmBisome therapy until achieving eradication was 9 days. Twenty (83%) infants were considered clinically cured at the end of treatment. No major adverse effects were recorded; one infant developed increased bilirubin and hepatic transaminases levels during therapy. Four (17%) infants died; in two of them (8%) the cause of death was directly attributed to systemic candidiasis. CONCLUSION: AmBisome represents an effective, safe and convenient antifungal agent in the therapy of systemic fungal infections in very low birth weight infants.

Age of Onset↗