Monthly Archives: May 2020

Treating seizures in the newborn: phenobarbitone unexpectedly not so bad!

Or perhaps “probably better than the current fashionable alternative” might be a better title. Phenobarbitone (or phenobarbital, I will call it PHE) is one of the oldest anticonvulsants out there, and because of little good data, remains the drug of … Continue reading

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Antenatal steroids : good, bad, or both?

Antenatal steroids prior to very preterm birth save lives. Antenatal steroids prior to planned late preterm delivery reduce respiratory distress and increase hypoglycaemia. Might there be other long-term effects on brain structure? There are now some animal models which suggest … Continue reading

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Do estimates of survival change decisions made?

Kidszun A, et al. Effect of Neonatal Outcome Estimates on Decision-Making Preferences of Mothers Facing Preterm Birth: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2020. This is a short report of an interesting idea, published as a research letter. The authors … Continue reading

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Glucose screening and treatment in the newborn; what now?

This is a field that stagnated in darkness for a while, “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and science is the sun” (with apologies to Romeo). Recent research has shown that 1. In healthy … Continue reading

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Let it GLOW… Normal blood sugar profiles in newborn infants.

To stay with this recent “hot topic” of this blog; what low blood sugar threshold should be used for intervention in the neonatal period? The usual risk factors (SGA, LGA, IDM, late preterm, maternal beta-blockers) select a group of babies … Continue reading

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged | 3 Comments