Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Kattwinkel

Publications and source records attributed to J Kattwinkel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

High-versus low-threshold surfactant retreatment for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

UNLABELLED: Surfactant therapy has become an effective standard therapy for infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The first dose may be given either as prophylaxis immediately after delivery, or as rescue after an infant has developed RDS. Second and subsequent doses are currently recommended by the manufacturers to be administered at minimal levels of respiratory support. PURPOSE: This study compared the relative efficacy of administering second and subsequent doses of Infasurf surfactant at a low threshold (FIO(2) >30%, still requiring endotracheal intubation) versus a high threshold (FIO(2) >40%, mean airway pressure >7 cm H(2)O) of respiratory support. METHODS: A total of 2484 neonates received a first dose of surfactant; 1267 reached conventional retreatment criteria and were randomized to be retreated according to low- or high-threshold criteria. They were then retreated at a minimum of 6-hour intervals each time they reached their assigned threshold until receiving a maximum of 4 total doses. Subjects were stratified by whether they received their first dose by prophylaxis or rescue and by whether their lung disease was considered complicated (evidence of perinatal compromise or sepsis) or uncomplicated. RESULTS: Among the patients randomized, 33% of prophylaxis and 23% of rescue subjects met criteria for the complicated stratum. Although infants allocated to the high-threshold strategy were receiving slightly more oxygen at 72 hours, there was no difference in the number receiving mechanical ventilation at 72 hours or in the secondary respiratory outcomes (requirement for supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation at 28 days, supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks' postconceptional age, inspired oxygen concentration >60% at any time). However, there was a significantly higher mortality for infants with complicated RDS who had received retreatment according to the high-threshold strategy. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that equal efficacy can be realized by delaying surfactant retreatment of infants with uncomplicated RDS until they have reached a higher level of respiratory support than is the current standard. We speculate that this would result in a substantial cost-saving from less utilization of drug. Conversely, we believe that infants with complicated RDS should continue to be treated by the low-threshold retreatment strategy, which is currently recommended by the manufacturers of the commercially available surfactants.

Biological Products↗

International Guidelines for Neonatal Resuscitation: An excerpt from the Guidelines 2000 for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care: International Consensus on Science. Contributors and Reviewers for the Neonatal Resuscitation Guidelines.

The International Guidelines 2000 Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) formulated new evidenced-based recommendations for neonatal resuscitation. These guidelines comprehensively update the last recommendations, published in 1992 after the Fifth National Conference on CPR and ECC. As a result of the evidence evaluation process, significant changes occurred in the recommended management routines for: * Meconium-stained amniotic fluid: If the newly born infant has absent or depressed respirations, heart rate <100 beats per minute (bpm), or poor muscle tone, direct tracheal suctioning should be performed to remove meconium from the airway. * Preventing heat loss: Hyperthermia should be avoided. * Oxygenation and ventilation: 100% oxygen is recommended for assisted ventilation; however, if supplemental oxygen is unavailable, positive-pressure ventilation should be initiated with room air. The laryngeal mask airway may serve as an effective alternative for establishing an airway if bag-mask ventilation is ineffective or attempts at intubation have failed. Exhaled CO(2) detection can be useful in the secondary confirmation of endotracheal intubation. * Chest compressions: Compressions should be administered if the heart rate is absent or remains <60 bpm despite adequate assisted ventilation for 30 seconds. The 2-thumb, encircling-hands method of chest compression is preferred, with a depth of compression one third the anterior-posterior diameter of the chest and sufficient to generate a palpable pulse. * Medications, volume expansion, and vascular access: Epinephrine in a dose of 0.01-0.03 mg/kg (0.1-0.3 mL/kg of 1:10,000 solution) should be administered if the heart rate remains <60 bpm after a minimum of 30 seconds of adequate ventilation and chest compressions. Emergency volume expansion may be accomplished with an isotonic crystalloid solution or O-negative red blood cells; albumin-containing solutions are no longer the fluid of choice for initial volume expansion. Intraosseous access can serve as an alternative route for medications/volume expansion if umbilical or other direct venous access is not readily available. * Noninitiation and discontinuation of resuscitation: There are circumstances (relating to gestational age, birth weight, known underlying condition, lack of response to interventions) in which noninitiation or discontinuation of resuscitation in the delivery room may be appropriate.

Blood Volume↗

Resuscitation of the newly born infant: an advisory statement from the Pediatric Working Group of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), with representation from North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and South America, was formed in 1992 to provide a forum for liaison between resuscitation organizations in the developed world. This consensus document on resuscitation extends previously published ILCOR advisory statements on resuscitation to address the unique and changing physiology of the newly born infant within the first few hours following birth and the techniques for providing advanced life support.

Delivery Rooms↗

An advisory statement from the Pediatric Working Group of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), with representation from North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and South America, was formed in 1992 to provide a forum for liaison between resuscitation organizations in the developed world. This consensus document on resuscitation extends previously published ILCOR advisory statements on resuscitation to address the unique and changing physiology of the newly born infant within the first few hours after birth and the techniques for providing advanced life support. After careful review of the international resuscitation literature and after discussion of key and controversial issues, consensus was reached on almost all aspects of neonatal resuscitation, and areas of controversy and high priority for additional research were delineated. Consensus on resuscitation for the newly born infant included the following principles: Common or controversial medications (epinephrine, volume expansion, naloxone, bicarbonate), special resuscitation circumstances affecting care of the newly born, continuing care of the newly born after resuscitation, and ethical considerations for initiation and discontinuation of resuscitation are discussed. There was agreement that insufficient data exist to recommend changes to current guidelines regarding the use of 21% versus 100% oxygen, neuroprotective interventions such as cerebral hypothermia, use of a laryngeal mask versus endotracheal tube, and use of high-dose epinephrine. Areas of controversy are identified, as is the need for additional research to improve the scientific justification of each component of current and future resuscitation guidelines.

Documentation↗

Safety of withdrawing inhaled nitric oxide therapy in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.

OBJECTIVE: Because of case reports describing hypoxemia on withdrawal of inhaled nitric oxide (I-NO), we prospectively examined this safety issue in newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension who were classified as treatment successes or failures during a course of I-NO therapy. METHODS: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked, dose-response clinical trial at 25 tertiary centers from April 1994 to June 1996. Change in oxygenation and outcome (death and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) during or immediately after withdrawing I-NO were the principal endpoints. Patients (n = 155) were term infants, <3 days old at study entry with echocardiographic evidence of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Exclusion criteria included previous surfactant treatment, high-frequency ventilation, or lung hypoplasia. Withdrawal from treatment gas (0, 5, 20, or 80 ppm) started once treatment success or failure criteria were met. Withdrawal of treatment gas occurred at 20% decrements at <4 hours between steps. RESULTS: The patient profile was similar for placebo and I-NO groups. Treatment started at an oxygenation index (OI) of 25 +/- 10 (mean +/- SD) at 26 +/- 18 hours after birth. For infants classified as treatment successes (mean duration of therapy = 88 hours, OI <10), decreases in the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO(2)) were observed only at the final step of withdrawal. On cessation from 1, 4, and 16 ppm, patients receiving I-NO demonstrated a dose-related reduction in PaO(2) (-11 +/- 23, -28 +/- 24, and -50 +/- 48 mm Hg, respectively). For infants classified as treatment failures (mean duration of therapy = 10 hours), no change in OI occurred for the placebo group (-13 +/- 36%, OI of 31 +/- 11 after the withdrawal process); however a 42 +/- 101% increase in OI to 46 +/- 21 occurred for the pooled nitric oxide doses. One death was possibly related to withdrawal of I-NO. CONCLUSION: For infants classified as treatment successes, a dose response between the I-NO dose and decrease in PaO(2) after discontinuing I-NO was found. A reduction in I-NO to 1 ppm before discontinuation of the drug seems to minimize the decrease in PaO(2) seen. For infants failing treatment, discontinuation of I-NO could pose a life-threatening reduction in oxygenation should extracorporeal membrane oxygenation not be readily available or I-NO cannot be continued on transport.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Ethical issues surrounding resuscitation.

Difficult delivery room situations concerning resuscitation can pose major ethical, legal, and professional problems. As with any medical decision, careful and timely acquisition and analysis of the data and frank, open discussion among all the decision makers, including parents, pediatric staff, obstetrical staff, and consultants will allow optimal decisions to be made. Recognizing the problem of uncertainty before and even at birth is essential to these discussions.

Communication↗

Inhaled nitric oxide for the early treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the term newborn: a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, dose-response, multicenter study. The I-NO/PPHN Study Group.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the dose-related effects of inhaled nitric oxide (I-NO) as a specific adjunct to early conventional therapy for term infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), with regard to neonatal outcome, oxygenation, and safety. METHODS: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked, dose-response, clinical trial at 25 tertiary centers from April 1994 to June 1996. The primary endpoint was the PPHN Major Sequelae Index ([MSI], including the incidence of death, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), neurologic injury, or bronchopulmonary dysplasia [BPD]). Patients required a fraction of inspired oxygen [FIO2] of 1.0, a mean airway pressure >/=10 cm H2O on a conventional ventilator, and echocardiographic evidence of PPHN. Exogenous surfactant, concomitant high-frequency ventilation, and lung hypoplasia were exclusion factors. Control (0 ppm) or nitric oxide (NO) (5, 20, or 80 ppm) treatments were administered until success or failure criteria were met. Due to slowing recruitment, the trial was stopped at N = 155 (320 planned). RESULTS: The baseline oxygenation index (OI) was 24 +/- 9 at 25 +/- 17 hours old (mean +/- SD). Efficacy results were similar among NO doses. By 30 minutes (no ventilator changes) the PaO2 for only the NO groups increased significantly from 64 +/- 39 to 109 +/- 78 Torr (pooled) and systemic arterial pressure remained unchanged. The baseline adjusted time-weighted OI was also significantly reduced in the NO groups (-5 +/- 8) for the first 24 hours of treatment. The MSI rate was 59% for the control and 50% for the NO doses (P = .36). The ECMO rate was 34% for control and 22% for the NO doses (P = .12). Elevated methemoglobin (>7%) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (>3 ppm) were observed only in the 80 ppm NO group, otherwise no adverse events could be attributed to I-NO, including BPD. CONCLUSION: For term infants with PPHN, early I-NO as the sole adjunct to conventional management produced an acute and sustained improvement in oxygenation for 24 hours without short-term side effects (5 and 20 ppm doses), and the suggestion that ECMO use may be reduced.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Surfactant. Evolving issues.

Understanding surfactant composition, function, and therapeutic usefulness has increased exponentially over the last 40 years. This article reviews the history and current understanding of surfactants, composition and comparisons of surfactants, method and timing of surfactant administration, dosage and retreatments, and the use of surfactants in conditions other than respiratory distress syndrome.

Gestational Age↗

Paediatric life support. An advisory statement by the Paediatric Life Support Working Group of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.

This document reflects the deliberations of ILCOR. The epidemiology and outcome of paediatric cardiopulmonary arrest and the priorities, techniques and sequence of paediatric resuscitation assessments and interventions differ from those of adults. The working group identified areas of conflict and controversy in current paediatric basic and advanced life support guidelines, outlined solutions considered and made recommendations by consensus. The working group was surprised by the degree of conformity already existing in current guidelines advocated by the American Heart Association (AHA), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC), the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC), and the Resuscitation Council of Southern Africa (RCSA). Differences are currently based upon local and regional preferences, training networks and customs, rather than scientific controversy. Unresolved issues with potential for future universal application are highlighted. This document does not include a complete list of guidelines for which there is no perceived controversy and the algorithm/decision tree figures presented attempt to follow a common flow of assessments and interventions, in coordination with their adult counterparts. Survival following paediatric prehospital cardiopulmonary arrest occurs in only approximately 3-17% and survivors are often neurologically devastated. Most paediatric resuscitation reports have been retrospective in design and plagued with inconsistent resuscitation definitions and patient inclusion criteria. Careful and thoughtful application of uniform guidelines for reporting outcomes of advanced life support interventions using large, randomized, multicenter and multinational clinical trials are clearly needed. Paediatric advisory statements from ILCOR will, by necessity, be vibrant and evolving guidelines fostered by national and international organizations intent on improving the outcome of resuscitation for infants and children worldwide.

Adolescent↗

A regionalized perinatal continuing education programme: successful adaptation to a foreign health care system and language.

Much of the decline in perinatal mortality over the past two decades in the United States has been attributed to regionalization of perinatal care. Outreach education from regional medical centres to community hospitals is an essential component of regionalization. The Perinatal Continuing Education Program (PCEP) has been successfully used for outreach education in more than 30 states since 1979. This project tested the efficacy of implementing the PCEP strategy in Poland. PCEP was adapted to Polish conditions, translated, and implemented in four phases. The scheme allowed gradual transfer of ownership to Polish leaders and use of the existing regional structure to disseminate information from regional centres to community hospitals. Evaluation included measures of programme use (participation and completion rates) and acceptance (participant evaluation forms), cognitive knowledge (pre- vs. post-tests), and patient care (chart reviews). Of 2093 doctors, nurses and midwives who began, 1615 (77%) completed the programme, with higher completion by regional centre than community hospital staff. All participant groups responded favourably to the materials and expressed moderate confidence in their mastery of the information and skills. Test scores improved significantly for all phases and for all disciplines, with baseline and final scores consistent with degrees of previous professional education. Large baseline and inter-hospital variations in chart review data restricted analysis of care practices. A comprehensive perinatal education programme can be successfully transferred to a foreign health care system. We believe the following to be particularly important: multidisciplinary instructors and students; a self-instructional format; content aimed at practice rather than theory; and an organized implementation strategy co-ordinated by local personnel.

Community Health Services↗

Comparison of Infasurf (calf lung surfactant extract) to Survanta (Beractant) in the treatment and prevention of respiratory distress syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the relative safety and efficacy of Infasurf (calf lung surfactant extract; ONY, Inc, Amherst, NY, IND #27169) versus Survanta (Beractant, Ross Laboratories, Columbus, OH) in reducing the acute severity of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) when given at birth and to infants with established RDS. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial. SETTING: Thirteen neonatal intensive care units participated in the treatment arm: seven of these concurrently participated in the prevention arm. PATIENTS: The treatment arm enrolled infants of </=2000 g birth weight with established RDS, and the prevention arm enrolled infants of </=29 weeks' gestation with birth weights <1250 g. INTERVENTION: Infants were randomly assigned to receive Infasurf (n = 303, treatment arm; n = 180, prevention arm) or Survanta (n = 305, treatment arm; n = 194, prevention arm) in accordance with the Survanta package insert instructions. OUTCOME MEASURES: We projected a 25% reduction between groups in the need for a third dose of surfactant for infants with established RDS, and a 25% reduction in the need for a second dose of surfactant for infants who received prophylactic surfactant. Secondary outcomes included the severity of RDS measured by inspired oxygen concentrations and mean airway pressure, air leaks, complications associated with surfactant administration, and survival to 36 weeks' postmenstrual age without the need for oxygen supplementation. RESULTS: In the treatment arm, there was no difference between groups in the number of infants requiring more than two doses of surfactant. The interval between doses was significantly longer for Infasurf, suggesting an increased duration of treatment effect. The inspired oxygen concentration and mean airway pressure were lower in the Infasurf infants during the first 48 hours in the treatment arm. In the prevention arm, there were no differences with respect to the number of surfactant doses. The dosing intervals were longer for Infasurf infants after the second dose. No difference in inspired oxygen or mean airway pressure was noted during the first 72 hours. There were no significant differences in the incidence of air leaks, complications associated with dosing, complications of prematurity, mortality, or survival without chronic lung disease in the prevention or treatment arm. CONCLUSIONS: Infants treated with Infasurf have a modest benefit in the acute phase of RDS. Infasurf seems to produce a longer duration of effect than Survanta.

Age Factors↗

Margin of safety for discharge after apnea in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE: Most neonatologists include an apnea-free period in the criteria for the discharge of preterm infants. However, the length of time one should wait after the cessation of apnea before sending an infant home without a monitor is debated. We undertook this study in an attempt to define a minimal and safe observation period between the time of the last apnea episode and discharge. METHODS: We reasoned that in infants with idiopathic apnea of prematurity, the intervals between days on which apnea occurs gradually increase until some point at which clinically significant apnea ceases. Therefore, knowledge about the intervals between days on which apnea occurred just before the last apnea would provide a reasonable estimate of the minimal safe observation interval between the last apnea and discharge. We reviewed the charts of 266 infants born in 1993 and 1994 at </=32 weeks' gestational age or weighing </=1500 g at birth from two institutions to determine the intervals between the day on which the last apnea occurred and the previous two days on which apnea occurred. One hundred seventy-five infants were excluded because they never experienced apnea, or data about the last apnea was missing, or they were on xanthines during the period encompassing the last 3 apnea days, or they weighed <1500 g or were <34 weeks' postmenstrual age at the time of the last apnea. Of the 91 remaining infants, gestational age at birth, birth weight, 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores, and discharge weight were not different between the two institutions. For each infant we determined the longest of the intervals between the 2 days on which apnea occurred previous to the day of the last apnea (MAXINT for maximum interval). The infants were then ordered by MAXINT and, starting at the longest MAXINT, the medical records of each infant were carefully examined for other conditions known to be associated with apnea (eg, recovering from anesthesia, sepsis, chronic lung disease, and so forth). The minimal safe observation period was then defined as the longest MAXINT in which there was at least 1 infant with no other explanation for the apnea other than prematurity. RESULTS: The median duration of the intervals between the 2 days on which apnea occurred previous to the day on which the last apnea occurred were 3. 0 and 2.0 days and the median duration of the MAXINT was 4.0 days. On careful examination of the charts, it was determined that each of 13 infants with a MAXINT preceding the day on which the last apnea occurred of greater than 8 days had some other condition that might result in apnea, including residual lung disease, sepsis, surgery, and so forth. In contrast, among the group of infants with a MAXINT of </=8 days, at least 1 infant at each MAXINT (eg, 1 to 8) had significant apnea with no other explanation other than prematurity. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that otherwise healthy preterm infants continue to have apneas separated by as many as 8 days before the last apnea before discharge. Conversely, infants with longer apnea intervals often have identifiable risk factors other than apnea of prematurity.

Apnea↗