Age-dependent changes in arterial blood pressure in neonates during the first week of life: reference values and development of a model

Neonatal blood pressure by birth weight, gestational age, and postnatal age: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Blood pressure is a vital hemodynamic marker during the neonatal period. However, normative values are often derived from small observational studies. Understanding the normative range would help to identify ideal thresholds for intervention to treat hypotension or hypertension. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess observed blood pressure values in neonates who have not received any blood-pressure modifying treatments from birth to three months postnatal age and whether these vary according to birth weight, gestational age and postnatal age.

METHODS

This was a systematic review. A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL from 1946 to 2017 on blood pressure in neonates from birth to 3 months of age (PROSPERO ID CRD42018092886). Unpublished data were included where appropriate.

RESULTS

Of 3,587 non-duplicate publications identified, 30 were included (one unpublished study). Twelve studies contained data grouped by birth weight, while 23 contained data grouped by gestational age. Study and clinical heterogeneity precluded meta-analyses thus results are presented by subgroup. A consistent blood pressure rise was associated with increasing birth weight, gestational age, and postnatal age. In addition, blood pressure seemed to rise more rapidly in the most preterm and low birth weight neonates.

CONCLUSION

Despite blood pressure increasing with birth weight, gestational age, and postnatal age, there was marked blood pressure variability observed throughout. To better define hypotension and hypertension, future studies should develop consistent approaches for factors related to blood pressure variability, including the method and timing of measurement as well as statistical control of relevant patient characteristics.

Blood pressure trends following birth in infants born under 25 weeks' gestational age: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to describe postnatal blood pressure (BP) trends and evaluate relevant dynamics and outcomes for a subgroup of extremely preterm (EPT) infants.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

Patients admitted to Karolinska University Hospital Stockholm.

PATIENTS

EPT infants born between 22+0 and 24+6 weeks' gestational age (GA) undergoing invasive, continuous BP monitoring through an umbilical arterial catheter.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Physiological BP trends, the influence of cardiovascular active interventions and fluid boluses on BP, and relevant adverse outcomes, including intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and death, were mapped over the first week of life.

RESULTS

We included 125 infants between January 2009 and November 2021. Mean BP values were 31 mm Hg, 32 mm Hg and 35 mm Hg, at 3 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours, respectively. A pronounced BP dip and nadir were observed around 20 hours, with a mean BP value of 32 mm Hg. 84% received fluid boluses within the first week of life; however, we could not observe any noteworthy change in BP following administration. Only 8% of patients received cardiovascular active drugs, which were too few to infer drug-specific effects. Overall, 48% developed IVH, 15% developed NEC and 25% died.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximating clinically acceptable mean BP values using GA gives underestimations in these infants. The postnatal BP dip should be regarded as a physiological phenomenon and not automatic grounds for interventions which may momentarily stabilise BP but have no appreciable short-term or long-term effects. Further studies are warranted for improved understanding of clinically relevant trends and outcomes.

The newly proposed Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat is a reliable tool for identifying non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, requiring attention to age-specific effects in both sexes

Objective

The newly proposed Metabolic Visceral Fat Score (METS-VF) is considered a more effective measure for visceral adipose tissue (VAT) than other obesity indicators. This study aimed to reveal the association between METS-VF and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its variations across age groups within both sexes.

Methods

Data from 14,251 medical examiners in the NAGALA project were employed in this study. 3D fitted surface plots were constructed based on multivariate logistic regression models to visualize the isolated and combined effects of aging and METS-VF on NAFLD. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was conducted to compare the diagnostic performance of METS-VF with other VAT surrogate markers in predicting NAFLD.

Results

The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that each unit increase in METS-VF was independently associated with a 333% and 312% increase in the odds of NAFLD in males and females, respectively. Additionally, the 3D fitted surface plot showed that age significantly influenced the association between METS-VF and the odds of NAFLD in both sexes, as follows: (i) In males, when METS-VF was less than 6.2, the METS-VF-related odds of NAFLD increased gradually with age in the 20-45 age group, reached a plateau in the 45-65 age group, and then decreased in the group above 65 years old; however, when male METS-VF exceeded 6.2, aging and METS-VF combined to further increase the odds of NAFLD in all age groups, particularly in the 45-65 age group. (ii) In females, aging seemed to reduce METS-VF-related odds of NAFLD in the 18-40 age group, but significantly increased it in the 40-60 age group, particularly for those with higher METS-VF levels. Further ROC analysis revealed that compared to other VAT surrogate markers, METS-VF showed the highest diagnostic accuracy for NAFLD in females, especially in those under 45 years of age [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.9256].

Conclusions

This study firstly revealed a significant positive correlation between METS-VF and the odds of NAFLD, with METS-VF surpassing other VAT surrogate markers in NAFLD diagnosis. Moreover, age significantly influenced the METS-VF-related odds of NAFLD and METS-VF's diagnostic efficacy for NAFLD in both sexes.

Evaluation of quality of care in neonatal anesthesia using a bundle of intraoperative parameters

BACKGROUND

Maintenance of physiological homeostasis is key in the safe conduct of pediatric anesthesia. Achieving this goal is especially difficult in neonatal surgery.

AIMS

The first aim was to document the absolute number of seven intraoperative parameters monitored during anesthesia in neonates undergoing gastroschisis surgery. The second aims were to determine the frequency of monitoring of each of these intraoperative parameters as well as the proportion of cases in which each parameter was both monitored and maintained within a pre-defined range.

METHODS

This retrospective observational analysis includes data from 53 gastroschisis surgeries performed at Caen University Hospital (2009-2020). Seven intraoperative parameters were analyzed. First, we assessed if the intraoperative parameters were monitored or not. Second, when monitored, we assessed if these parameters were maintained within a pre-defined range, based on the current literature and on local agreement.

RESULTS

The median [first-third Q], range (min-max) number of intraoperative parameters monitored during the 53 gastroschisis surgeries was 6 [5-6], range (4-7). There were no missing data for the automatically recorded ones such as arterial blood pressure, heart rate, end-tidal CO2, and oxygen saturation. Temperature was monitored in 38% of the patients, glycemia in 66%, and natremia in 68% of the cases. Oxygen saturation and heart rate were maintained within the pre-defined range in 96% and 81% of the cases respectively. The blood pressure (28%) and temperature (30%) were instead the least often maintained within the pre-defined range.

CONCLUSION

Although a median of six out of the seven selected intraoperative parameters were monitored during gastroschisis repair, only two of them (oxygen saturation and heart rate) were maintained within the pre-defined range more than 80% of the time. It might be of interest to extend physiologic age- and procedure-based approach to the development of specific preoperative anesthetic planning.