Infants Born with Down Syndrome: Burden of Disease in the Early Neonatal Period

Guidelines and Recommendations for Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography and Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Update from the American Society of Echocardiography

Targeted neonatal echocardiography (TNE) involves the use of comprehensive echocardiography to appraise cardiovascular physiology and neonatal hemodynamics to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic precision in the neonatal intensive care unit. Since the last publication of guidelines for TNE in 2011, the field has matured through the development of formalized neonatal hemodynamics fellowships, clinical programs, and the expansion of scientific knowledge to further enhance clinical care. The most common indications for TNE include adjudication of hemodynamic significance of a patent ductus arteriosus, evaluation of acute and chronic pulmonary hypertension, evaluation of right and left ventricular systolic and/or diastolic function, and screening for pericardial effusions and/or malpositioned central catheters. Neonatal cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (cPOCUS) is a limited cardiovascular evaluation which may include line tip evaluation, identification of pericardial effusion and differentiation of hypovolemia from severe impairment in myocardial contractility in the hemodynamically unstable neonate. This document is the product of an American Society of Echocardiography task force composed of representatives from neonatology-hemodynamics, pediatric cardiology, pediatric cardiac sonography, and neonatology-cPOCUS. This document provides (1) guidance on the purpose and rationale for both TNE and cPOCUS, (2) an overview of the components of a standard TNE and cPOCUS evaluation, (3) disease and/or clinical scenario-based indications for TNE, (4) training and competency-based evaluative requirements for both TNE and cPOCUS, and (5) components of quality assurance. The writing group would like to acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Regan Giesinger who sadly passed during the final revisions phase of these guidelines. Her contributions to the field of neonatal hemodynamics were immense.

Kidney and urological involvement in Down syndrome: frequent, underestimated, but associated with impaired quality of life and risk of kidney failure

Patients with Down syndrome (DS) are at risk of multiorgan dysfunction; kidney and urological impairment are common. This is due to a likely increased risk of congenital kidney and urological malformations (odds ratio of 4.5 compared to the general population in one study), more frequent associated comorbidities at risk of kidney dysfunction (such as prematurity in 9-24% of children, intrauterine growth retardation or low birth weight in 20%, and congenital heart disease in 44%), and more frequent lower urinary tract dysfunction (reported in 27-77% of children with DS). If present, malformations and comorbidities at risk of kidney dysfunction warrant regular kidney monitoring in addition to their treatment. Serum creatinine in children with DS has been shown to be higher than in the general population and asymptomatic hyperuricemia is reported in 12-33% of children or young adults with DS. Moreover cryptorchidism and testicular cancer are also more common and should be detected by clinical examination. Thus, persons with DS at risk of presenting kidney and urological impairment should be identified by prenatal ultrasonography, comorbidities at risk of kidney sequelae considered, and during regular medical follow-up, clinically examined and questioned to diagnose testicular anomalies and lower urinary tract dysfunction. This is of importance as such kidney and urological impairments are associated with impaired quality of life and mental health, and risk of kidney failure.

The Impact of Altitude at Birth on Perinatal Respiratory Support for Neonates with Trisomy 21

OBJECTIVE

Both high altitude and trisomy 21 (T21) status can negatively impact respiratory outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine the association between altitude and perinatal respiratory support in neonates with T21 compared with those without T21.

STUDY DESIGN

This retrospective cohort study used the United States all-county natality files that included live, singleton, in-hospital births from 2015 to 2019. Descriptive statistics for neonates with and without the primary outcome of sustained assisted ventilation (>6 hours) were compared using t-tests and Chi-squared analyses. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between respiratory support and the presence of T21, and included an interaction term to determine whether the association between respiratory support and the presence of T21 was modified by elevation at delivery.

RESULTS

A total of 17,939,006 neonates, 4,059 (0.02%) with T21 and 17,934,947 (99.98%) without, were included in the study. The odds of requiring sustained respiratory support following delivery were 5.95 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.31, 6.66), 4.06 (95% CI: 2.39, 6.89), 2.36 (95% CI: 1.64, 3.40), and 5.04 (95% CI: 1.54, 16.54) times as high for neonates with T21 than without T21 when born at low, medium, high, and very high elevations, respectively. The odds of requiring immediate ventilation support following delivery were 5.01 (95% CI: 4.59, 5.46), 5.90 (95% CI: 4.16, 8.36), 2.86 (95% CI: 2.15, 3.80), and 12.08 (95% CI: 6.78, 21.51) times as high for neonates with T21 than without T21 when born at low, medium, high, and very high elevation, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Neonates with T21 have increased odds of requiring respiratory support following delivery when compared with neonates without T21 at all categories of altitude. However, the odds ratios did not increase monotonically with altitude which indicates additional research is critical in understanding the effects of altitude on neonates with T21.

KEY POINTS

· Neonates with T21 have an increased need for perinatal respiratory support at all altitudes.. · The odds of needing perinatal respiratory support did not increase monotonically with elevation.. · Additional research is critical to understanding the effects of altitude on neonates with T21..

Dysphagia severity is associated with worse sleep-disordered breathing in infants with Down syndrome

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Hypotonia, commonly seen in infants with Down syndrome (I-DS), can contribute to masticatory and oropharyngeal muscle weakness, increasing the risk for dysphagia and sleep-disordered breathing. Data describing the occurrence of dysphagia and sleep-disordered breathing in I-DS are limited. This study aims to determine the frequency and severity of dysphagia and its relationship to polysomnogram parameters in I-DS.

METHODS

We included I-DS who underwent polysomnography at a single academic center over a 6-year period. Data collected included sex, age, presence of dysphagia (low suspicion of dysphagia vs dysphagia vs feeding tube), and polysomnographic data. Dysphagia was determined by a video fluoroscopic swallow study in the presence of clinical suspicion.

RESULTS

A total of 40 I-DS were identified (mean age 6.6 months ± 3; male 65%). There were 11, 13, and 16 I-DS with low suspicion of dysphagia, dysphagia, and feeding tube, respectively. Obstructive sleep apnea was more severe in I-DS in the feeding tube group when compared with the group with a low suspicion of dysphagia and (apnea-hypopnea index mean [standard error] = 49.3 [7.6] vs 19.2 [9.2] events/h; P = .016). Dysphagia severity was positively correlated with a higher obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (r = .43, P = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a high incidence of dysphagia and sleep-disordered breathing in I-DS. Dysphagia severity correlated with obstructive apnea-hypopnea index severity. Our results suggest that I-DS need early evaluation of both sleep-disordered breathing and dysphagia.

CITATION

Cho Y, Kwon Y, DelRosso L, Sobremonte-King M. Dysphagia severity is associated with worse sleep-disordered breathing in infants with Down syndrome. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(5):883-887.

The burden of sleep disordered breathing in infants with Down syndrome referred to tertiary sleep center

INTRODUCTION

Children with Down Syndrome (DS) are at high risk of sleep disordered breathing (SDB). We aimed to examine the burden of SDB in infants with DS referred to tertiary sleep center.

METHODS

Infants (≤12 months old) with DS who underwent consecutive polysomnography (PSG) at a single academic sleep center over a 6-year period were included. obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (obstructive apnea hypopnea index [oAHI]>1/hr), central sleep apnea (central apnea index > 5/h) and the presence of hypoventilation (% time spent with CO2  > 50 mmHg either by end-tidal or transcutaneous> 25% of total sleep time) and hypoxemia (time spent with O2 saturation <88% >5 min) were ascertained.

RESULTS

A total of 40 infants were included (Mean age 6.6 months, male 66%). PSGs consisted of diagnostic (n = 13) and split night (n = 27, 68%) studies. All met criteria for OSA with mean oAHI 34.6/h (32.3). Central sleep apnea was present in 11 (27.5%) of infants. A total of 11 (27.5%) had hypoxemia. Hypoventilation was present in 10 (25%) infants.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the high prevalence of SDB in infants with DS referred to a sleep center, and supports early PSG assessment in this patient population.

Sleep Apnea in Children With Down Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

The authors of this study aimed to evaluate the use of polysomnography (PSG) in children with Down syndrome (DS) between ages 0 and 7 years, to assess the prevalence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and associated comorbidities, and to describe interventions used for OSA.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for children with DS born between 2013 and 2019. Data were extracted from the electronic medical record, including demographics, age at PSG, PSG results, and interventions after an abnormal PSG. Statistical analysis included unadjusted bivariate association testing and multivariable logistic regression modeling to investigate associations with OSA severity.

RESULTS

Among 397 patients in the cohort, 59% (n = 235) had a documented PSG and 94% (n = 221) had an abnormal study with 60% (n = 141) demonstrating moderate or severe OSA. There was an inverse relationship between age and OSA severity (P < .001). In a multiple regression model, OSA severity was associated with increased rates of failure to thrive (P < .01), aspiration (P = .02), and laryngomalacia (P < .01). After medical or surgical intervention, 73% of patients experienced the resolution of OSA or an improvement in OSA severity.

CONCLUSION

In this study of pediatric patients with DS, OSA was identified most frequently in the first year of life. In addition, to prompt evaluation of symptomatic infants, our data support earlier PSG screening for patients requiring neonatal ICU care and those with feeding difficulties, airway abnormalities, and/or pulmonary hypertension given their increased risk for severe OSA.

Neonatal mortality and morbidity in Down syndrome in the time of prenatal aneuploidy testing: a retrospective cohort study

The total uptake of prenatal aneuploidy screening for Down syndrome (DS) is increasing worldwide. As a result of increasing prenatal diagnosis of DS and subsequent termination of pregnancy, livebirth prevalence of DS is decreasing. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of an increasing uptake of prenatal aneuploidy screening on the neonatal mortality and morbidity in DS. This is a retrospective cohort study of 253 neonates with DS born between 2012 and 2018 that were seen at the outpatient clinic of five hospitals in the Netherlands. The medical files were reviewed for maternal and neonatal characteristics and neonatal morbidities. The Dutch national birth registry (Perined) provided mortality numbers of neonates with DS. The results were interpreted in the context of other published studies. Neonatal mortality in DS remained stable, ranging from 1.4 to 3.6%. A congenital heart defect (CHD) was found in 138 of the 251 neonates (55.0%) with atrial septal defect, atrioventricular septal defect, and ventricular septal defect being the most common. The type of CHD in DS did not change over time. Gastro-intestinal defects were present in 22 of the 252 neonates with DS (8.7%), with duodenal atresia as the most reported anomaly. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate (PPHN) was found in 31 of the 251 infants (12.4%).  Conclusions: Although uptake of prenatal aneuploidy screening increased, neonatal mortality and morbidity in DS appears to be stable. An increased incidence of PPHN was found. What is Known: • The total uptake of prenatal aneuploidy screening for Down syndrome is increasing worldwide. • As a result of increasing prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome and subsequent termination of pregnancy, the livebirth prevalence of Down syndrome is decreasing. What is New: • Although uptake of prenatal aneuploidy screening increased, neonatal mortality and morbidity in Down syndrome appears to be stable. • An increased incidence of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate was found.

Morbidity and mortality in neonates with Down Syndrome based on gestational age

BACKGROUND

Greater than 50% of neonates with Down Syndrome (DS) have perinatal complications that require admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at birth. Previous studies have shown increased morbidity and mortality rates in neonates without DS delivered prior to 39 weeks of completed gestation.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if an association exists between gestational age at delivery and adverse outcomes in neonates with DS.

STUDY DESIGN

Neonates with DS admitted to a large, tertiary care center NICU from 2010 to 2020 were evaluated. Gestational age (GA) was stratified into 4 groups: <34 (preterm), 34-36 (late-preterm), 37-38 (early-term) and ≥39 (term + post-term) completed weeks. Fisher's exact tests were used to evaluate morbidity and mortality rates between groups.

RESULT

Of the 314 neonates with DS, 10% (N = 31) were <34 weeks, 22% (N = 68) 34-36 weeks, 40% (N = 127) 37-38 weeks, and 28% (N = 88) ≥39 completed weeks at birth. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. GA at birth <34 weeks was associated with a higher in-hospital mortality rate when compared to those born 37-38 (19% vs. 0%, P < 0.001) and ≥39 (19% vs. 3%, P = 0.01). Neonates with DS born <34 weeks had a higher likelihood of oxygen requirement at time of discharge compared to 34-36, 37-38, and ≥39 groups (P = 0.01; P < 0.001; P < 0.001 respectively). Neonates with DS < 34 weeks were more likely to develop necrotizing enterocolitis (P = 0.02) and require nitric oxide (P = 0.014) compared to neonates with DS ≥ 39. We observed no differences in the need for surgical interventions between groups aside from the rate of gastrostomy/jejunostomy tube placement between 34-36 weeks and 37-38 weeks GA.

CONCLUSION

Neonates with DS born preterm (<34 weeks) represent a highly vulnerable subgroup. Multidisciplinary strategies are needed to address their higher rates of morbidity and mortality.

Outcome after Prenatal Diagnosis of Trisomy 13, 18, and 21 in Fetuses with Congenital Heart Disease

Fetal congenital heart disease (CHD) is often associated with chromosomal abnormalities. Our primary aim was to assess stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates for pregnancies complicated by trisomies 13, 18, and 21 in the presence of CHD, from a single tertiary referral center during 2000-2020 in a retrospective cohort study. The secondary aims were to investigate maternal morbidity in these pregnancies, and to study the gestational or neonatal age when mortality occurred. Inclusion criteria were the prenatal diagnosis of at least one structural CHD, together with prenatally diagnosed fetal trisomy 13, 18, or 21. One-hundred and sixty patients with fetal trisomy 13 (14.4%), fetal trisomy 18 (28.8%), and fetal trisomy 21 (56.9%) were evaluated. In total, 98 (61.3%) families opted for the termination of pregnancy (TOP). Of the remaining 62 (38.8%) pregnancies, 16 (25.8%) resulted in intrauterine fetal death/death during delivery. Ten out of twenty-one (47.6%) infants with trisomy 13 or 18 were born alive. The livebirth rate was 87.8% (36/41) for infants with trisomy 21. Early neonatal death was observed in nine (19.6%) infants. Thirty-one (86.1%) infants with trisomy 21 survived the first year of life. These data may be helpful for counseling affected parents when the decision to terminate or continue the pregnancy should be considered.

Serial Assessment of Cardiac Function and Pulmonary Hemodynamics in Infants with Down Syndrome

BACKGROUND

There is a dearth of longitudinal data describing the evolution of cardiopulmonary haemodynamics in infants with Down Syndrome (DS) beyond infancy. We hypothesized that babies with DS, independent of the presence of congenital heart disease (CHD), demonstrate biventricular systolic and diastolic impairment and sustained elevation of pulmonary pressures compared to controls over the first two years of age.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational cohort study of 70 infants with DS (48 with CHD and 22 without CHD) and 60 controls carried out in three tertiary neonatal intensive care units in Dublin, Ireland. Infants with DS with and without CHD and non-DS controls underwent serial echocardiograms at birth, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years of age to assess biventricular systolic and diastolic function using deformation analysis. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was assessed using pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAAT) and left ventricular (LV) eccentricity index.

RESULTS

Infants with DS exhibited smaller LV (Birth: 27±4 vs. 31±2 mm, p<0.01; 2 years: 43±5 vs. 48±4 mm, p<0.01) and RV (Birth: 28±3 vs. 31±2 mm, p<0.01; 2 years: 40±4 vs. 44±3 mm, p<0.01) lengths and lower LV (Birth: -19±3 vs. -22±2 %, p<0.01; 2 years: -24±2 vs. -26±2 %, p<0.01) and RV (Birth: -19±4 vs. -22±3 %, p<0.01; 2 years: -29±6 vs. -33±4 %, p<0.01) systolic strain over the two year period. PAAT was lower in the DS group throughout the study period (Birth: 44±10 vs. 62±14 ms, p<0.01; 2 years 71±12 vs. 83±11 ms, p<0.01). No differences were observed between DS infants with and without CHD (all p >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Infants with DS exhibit impaired maturational changes in myocardial function and PVR. Such novel findings provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology affecting cardiorespiratory morbidity in this population.

Relationship Between Postnatal Pulmonary Arterial Pressure and Altered Diastolic Function in Neonates with Down Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To assess the influence of diastolic dysfunction on the evolution of pulmonary hypertension in neonates with Down Syndrome over the early newborn period.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective observational cohort study. Echocardiography was performed three times over the first week of life in both Down syndrome and control cohorts. Measurements of pulmonary arterial pressure in addition to left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular systolic and diastolic function were collected.

RESULTS

Seventy babies with Down syndrome and 60 control infants were enrolled. Forty-eight of the infants with Down syndrome (69%) were born with congenital heart disease (CHD). Echocardiography surrogates of pulmonary hypertension and myocardial function remained significantly impaired in the Down syndrome group in comparison with control infants (all P < .01). In the Down syndrome group, LV early diastolic strain rate was independently associated with measures of pulmonary hypertension while controlling for gestational age, cesarean delivery, and the presence of CHD (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Intrinsic LV diastolic impairment is directly associated with higher indices of pulmonary hypertension in infants with Down syndrome and may be a contributing factor to its evolution.

Prematurity and Pulmonary Vein Stenosis: The Role of Parenchymal Lung Disease and Pulmonary Vascular Disease

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) has emerged as a critical problem in premature infants with persistent respiratory diseases, particularly bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). As a parenchymal lung disease, BPD also influences vascular development with associated pulmonary hypertension recognized as an important comorbidity of both BPD and PVS. PVS is commonly detected later in infancy, suggesting additional postnatal factors that contribute to disease development, progression, and severity. The same processes that result in BPD, some of which are inflammatory-mediated, may also contribute to the postnatal development of PVS. Although both PVS and BPD are recognized as diseases of inflammation, the link between them is less well-described. In this review, we explore the relationship between parenchymal lung diseases, BPD, and PVS, with a specific focus on the epidemiology, clinical presentation, risk factors, and plausible biological mechanisms in premature infants. We offer an algorithm for early detection and prevention and provide suggestions for research priorities.

Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension among children with Down syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) has serious short- and long-term consequences. PH is gaining increasing importance in high risk groups such as Down syndrome (DS) as it influences their overall survival and prognosis. Hence, there is a dire need to collate the prevalence rates of PH in order to undertake definitive measures for early diagnosis and management.

AIM

To determine the prevalence of PH in children with DS.

METHODS

The authors individually conducted a search of electronic databases manually (Cochrane library, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science). Data extraction and quality control were independently performed by two reviewers and a third reviewer resolved any conflicts of opinion. The words used in the literature search were “pulmonary hypertension” and “pulmonary arterial hypertension”; “Down syndrome” and “trisomy 21” and “prevalence”. The data were analyzed by Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software Version 2. Risk of bias assessment and STROBE checklist were used for quality assessment.

RESULTS

Of 1578 articles identified, 17 were selected for final analysis. The pooled prevalence of PH in these studies was 25.5%. Subgroup analysis was carried out for age, gender, region, year of publication, risk of bias and etiology of PH.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the increasing prevalence of PH in children with DS. It is crucial for pediatricians to be aware of this morbid disease and channel their efforts towards earlier diagnosis and successful management. Community-based studies with a larger sample size of children with DS should be carried out to better characterize the epidemiology and underlying etiology of PH in DS.

The Term Newborn: Delivery Room Triage and Transitions of Care

Term newborn infants without significant medical problems usually transition from fetal to newborn life without medical assistance. Infants requiring therapy often need care in a neonatal intensive care unit as opposed to a well-baby unit. Infants with unclear physiologic status or disease that may require therapies in the immediate newborn period may benefit from a period of observation with close monitoring before admission to a well-baby unit. Whenever possible, providing care for a newborn infant in an area that provides care for the newborn and mother together in the same room facilitates adaptation to normal breastfeeding and family bonding.

Primary pulmonary vein stenosis during infancy: state of the art review

Primary pulmonary vein stenosis (PPVS) is an emerging problem among infants. In contrast to acquired disease, PPVS is the development of stenosis in the absence of preceding intervention. While optimal care approaches remain poorly characterized, over the past decade, understanding of potential pathophysiological mechanisms and development of novel therapeutic strategies are increasing. A multidisciplinary team of health care providers was assembled to review the available evidence and provide a common framework for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of PPVS during infancy. To address knowledge gaps, institutional and multi-institutional approaches must be employed to generate knowledge specific to ex-premature infants with PPVS. Within individual institutions, creation of a team comprised of dedicated health care providers from diverse backgrounds is critical to accelerate clinical learning and provide care for infants with PPVS. Multi-institutional collaborations, such as the PVS Network, provide the infrastructure and statistical power to advance knowledge for this rare disease.

Hypoxemia in infants with trisomy 21 in the neonatal intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE

Newborns with trisomy 21 (T21) often require NICU hospitalization. Oxygen desaturations are frequently observed in these infants, even in the absence of congenital heart defects (CHD). We hypothesized that NICU patients with T21 have more hypoxemia than those without T21.

DESIGN

All infants with T21 without significant CHD discharged home from the NICU between 2009 and 2018 were included (n = 23). Controls were matched 20:1 for gestational age and length of stay. We compared daily severe hypoxemia events (SpO₂ < 80% for ≥10 s) for the whole NICU stay and the pre-discharge week.

RESULTS

Infants with T21 showed significantly more daily hypoxemia events during their entire NICU stay (median 10 versus 7, p = 0.0064), and more so in their final week (13 versus 7, p = 0.0008).

CONCLUSION

NICU patients with T21 without CHD experience more severe hypoxemia events than controls, particularly in the week before discharge. Whether this hypoxemia predicts or contributes to adverse outcomes is unknown.

General Cognitive Abilities and Psychosocial Development in Children and Adolescents Having a Co-Twin with Down Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To examine the general cognitive and psychosocial development in children and adolescents having a co-twin with Down syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN

A case control study with an individually matched control group was conducted. Participants included families with twins discordant for Down syndrome as well as with typically developing twins. The group of unaffected co-twins aged 4-16 years was compared with a control group of typically developing twins in terms of general cognitive abilities, behavioral problems, and prosocial behavior. The age and sex and the sex composition of the twins were individually matched. The Sijnders-Oomen nonverbal intelligence test was applied to assess children's IQ, and parents completed the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire.

RESULTS

The unaffected co-twins did not differ from typically developing twins with respect to their IQ. Concerning the psychosocial development, significantly heightened values in unaffected co-twins twins were only obtained for the conduct problems scale (P = .01; r = 0.45), neither for the total difficulties score nor for the other behavioral problem scales significant differences were found.

CONCLUSIONS

The general cognitive development of the unaffected co-twin of children with Down syndrome is not affected by the presence of their Down syndrome twin. Unaffected co-twins showed increased conduct problems, which is most pronounced in the younger children.

Transient abnormal myelopoiesis in pediatrics with trisomy 21

Transient abnormal myelopoiesis is common among Down syndrome patients. Although no therapeutic measures are required, close monitoring of comorbidities such as gastrointestinal bleeding is required. Long-term follow-up is promising for a healthy future and reduced requirement of unnecessary therapeutic measures including chemotherapy and remission of the pathology.

Longer Exposure to Left-to-Right Shunts Is a Risk Factor for Pulmonary Vein Stenosis in Patients with Trisomy 21

We conducted a study to determine whether patients born with Trisomy 21 and left-to-right shunts who develop pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) have a longer exposure to shunt physiology compared to those who do not develop PVS. We included patients seen at Boston Children’s Hospital between 15 August 2006 and 31 August 2017 born with Trisomy 21 and left-to-right shunts who developed PVS within 24 months of age. We conducted a retrospective 3:1 matched case–control study. The primary predictor was length of exposure to shunt as defined as date of birth to the first echocardiogram showing mild or no shunt. Case patients with PVS were more likely to have a longer exposure to shunt than patients in the control group (6 vs. 3 months, p-value 0.002). Additionally, PVS patients were also more likely to have their initial repair ≥ 4 months of age (81% vs. 42%, p-value 0.003) and have a gestational age ≤ 35 weeks (48% vs. 13%, p-value 0.003). Time exposed to shunts may be an important modifiable risk factor for PVS in patients with Trisomy 21.

Clinical Presentation of Preterm Infants with Ventricular Septal Defect

Ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are the most common congenital heart diseases; however, case reports of preterm infants with VSD are limited. The aim of this study is to share our experience with preterm infants with VSD and to record their short-term outcomes. Between January 2000 and December 2017, 32 preterm infants with VSD were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit at gestational age < 32 weeks. Of these, 9 were excluded by exclusion criteria. The size and location of the VSD, details of treatment, and neonatal prognosis were retrospectively reviewed from the medical records. Among the 23 preterm infants, the median gestational age was 29.4 weeks (25.0-31.3 weeks) and the median birthweight was 924 g (524-1,526 g). There were 9 infants with VSD < 2 mm and 14 infants with VSD ≥ 2 mm. For the 9 infants with VSD < 2 mm, no medical or surgical treatments for VSDs were undertaken. Of the 14 infants with VSD ≥ 2 mm, 8 (57.1%) underwent medical and surgical treatment. Surgical treatment was performed more frequently in infants with VSD ≥ 2 mm than in those with VSD < 2 mm (P = 0.007). In preterm infants, the presence of VSD ≥ 2 mm increases the risk of surgical interventions and significant patent ductus arteriosus. It is important to encourage treatment for preterm infants with VSD ≥ 2 mm, including surgical interventions, in cooperation with pediatric cardiologists.

Pulmonary hypertension and myocardial function in infants and children with Down syndrome

Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal abnormality of live born babies. Individuals with DS are at increased risk of cardiopulmonary morbidities in the early neonatal period, infancy and childhood that manifest with elevated pulmonary arterial pressures and altered myocardial performance. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) during the early neonatal period remains under-recognised in this population. PH may occur with or without a congenital heart defect in children with DS and is more common than in the general population. Early detection and continued screening of PH throughout infancy and childhood for these at-risk children is crucial for prompt intervention and potential prevention of long-term sequelae on cardiac function. This review summarises the main physiological concepts behind the mechanisms of PH in children with DS and provides a summary of the current available literature on PH and its impact on myocardial performance.

Neonatal complications of Down syndrome and factors necessitating intensive care

Limited knowledge exists about how frequently newborns with Down syndrome receive a prenatal diagnosis, require intensive care, and what surgical and medical factors are contributory. A retrospective cohort study was performed for patients with a diagnosis of Down syndrome born in 2013 and 2014 who sought care at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center during the first year of life. Data were extracted from the electronic medical record through the first year of life including need for intensive care as a newborn, prenatal diagnosis, and medical and surgical complications. Of the 129 patients in the study, 65% required intensive care as newborns. The presence of a structural abnormality that required surgical correction in the neonatal period and certain types of congenital heart disease not requiring surgical intervention in the neonatal period were positively associated with the need for intensive care. A minority of infants, 8%, had a confirmed prenatal diagnosis. A majority of newborns with Down syndrome required intensive care following birth while a minority had any concern for the diagnosis prenatally. Improving prenatal diagnostic rates would allow for better prenatal counseling and delivery planning, while targeting therapeutic interventions for this population is needed to improve outcomes.

The risks of advancing parental age on neonatal morbidity and mortality are U- or J-shaped for both maternal and paternal ages

BACKGROUND

The biologic implications of delayed parenthood have been blamed for a major public health crisis in the United States, that includes high rates of neonatal morbidity and mortality (NMM). The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of parent age on NMM and to provide results that can serve as a starting point for more specific mediation modeling.

METHODS

Data containing approximately 15,000,000 birth records were obtained from the United States Natality database for the years 2014 to 2018. A Bayesian modeling approach was used to estimate the both the total effect and the risk adjusted for confounding between parent ages and for mediation by chromosomal disorders including Down syndrome. Outcomes included intra-hospital death and nine measures of neonatal morbidity.

RESULTS

For paternal age, seven NMM (preterm birth, very preterm birth, low Apgar score, treatment with antibiotics, treatment with surfactant, prolonged ventilation, intra-hospital death) had U-shaped risk patterns, two NMM (small for gestational age, admission to neonatal intensive care) had J-shaped risk patterns, one NMM (seizures) was not significantly related to paternal age. For maternal age, three NMM (low Apgar score, treatment with antibiotics and intra-hospital death) had U-shaped risk patterns, four NMM (preterm delivery, very preterm delivery, admission to neonatal intensive care, treatment with surfactant) had J-shaped risk patterns, one NMM (small for gestational age) had a risk declining with age, one NMM (prolonged ventilation) had a risk increasing with age and one NMM (seizures) was not significantly related to maternal age.

CONCLUSIONS

Both advancing maternal and paternal ages had U- or J-shaped risk patterns for neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Updates on Management for Acute and Chronic Phenotypes of Neonatal Pulmonary Hypertension

Neonatal pulmonary hypertension is a heterogeneous disease in term and preterm neonates. It is characterized by persistent increase of pulmonary artery pressures after birth (acute) or an increase in pulmonary artery pressures after approximately 4 weeks of age (chronic); both phenotypes result in exposure of the right ventricle to sustained high afterload. In-depth clinical assessment plus echocardiographic measures evaluating pulmonary blood flow, pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and myocardial contractility are needed to determine the cause and provide individualized targeted therapies. This article summarizes the causes, risk factors, hemodynamic assessment, and management of neonatal pulmonary hypertension.

Temperature instability in infants with trisomy 21 in the neonatal intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Temperature instability has been observed in infants with trisomy 21 (T21) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) but has not been described in the literature.

METHODS

All infants with T21 in the NICU 2011-2017 with at least 2 days of temperatures when ≥36 weeks PMA and not receiving external thermoregulation, and 2:1 matched controls were included. Prevalence and number of temperatures < 36 and >38 °C and infection workups were compared.

RESULTS

Hypothermia and hyperthermia were more common among T21 infants (n = 61) vs. controls: hypothermia 30% vs. 11% (p < 0.01); hyperthermia 16% vs. 8% (p = 0.13). Infants with T21 were more likely to have infection workups at the time of temperature instability (16% vs. 6%) but only one of ten workups was diagnostic of infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Temperature instability without infection is common among infants with T21 in the NICU.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus-related Death in Children With Down Syndrome: The RSV GOLD Study

BACKGROUND

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years worldwide. Systematic reviews have shown that Down syndrome (DS) is an independent risk factor for severe RSV infection. We aimed to describe demographic and clinical characteristics of children with DS who died with RSV infection.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective case series in which data were shared by individual researchers, research networks and physicians worldwide as part of the RSV Global Online Database study. We included children with DS who died when younger than 5 years of age with laboratory-confirmed RSV infection.

RESULTS

We included 53 children with DS and RSV-related mortality from 20 countries in 5 continents. Five (9.4%) children were from low-income or lower-middle-income countries. Median age at time of death was 6.0 months [interquartile range (IQR): 3.00-12.0]. Thirteen (24.5%) children were born term and had no other risk factors for severe RSV disease. In total, 36 (67.9%) children had congenital heart disease, 8 (15.1%) had chronic lung disease and 1 (1.9%) had congenital immunodeficiency. Duration of hospitalization was significantly longer for children with DS compared with children without DS [median length of stay, 13 days (IQR: 6.8-21.0) vs. 8 days (IQR: 3.0-18.5), P=0.005].

CONCLUSIONS

One-fourth of children with DS and RSV-confirmed death did not have risk factors for severe RSV disease, indicating that DS is an important risk factor for RSV-related mortality. Age distribution at time of death demonstrates that maternal vaccination would not be sufficient to protect children with DS against RSV-related mortality.

Multiorgan involvement and management in children with Down syndrome

AIM

To review multiorgan involvement and management in children with Down syndrome (DS).

METHODS

A literature review of articles from 1980 to 2019 using the MEDLINE interface of PubMed was performed using the following search terms- [Down syndrome] or [Trisomy 21] AND [Cardiology] or [Respiratory] or [neurodevelopment] or [epilepsy] or [musculoskeletal] or [immune system] or [haematological] or [endocrine] or [gastrointestinal] or [ophthalmological] or [Ear Nose Throat] or [dermatology] or [renal].

RESULTS

Congenital heart disease particularly septal defects occur in over 60% of infants with DS and 5%-34% of infants develop persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn irrespective of a diagnosis of congenital heart disease. Early recognition and management of aspiration, obstructive sleep apnoea and recurrent lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) could reduce risk of developing pulmonary hypertension in later childhood. Children with DS have an increased risk of autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder and epilepsy particularly infantile spasms, which are associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. Congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal and renal system as well as autoimmune diseases, coeliac disease, arthropathy, thyroid dysfunction fold diabetes mellitus and dermatological conditions are more common. Hearing and visual anomalies are also well recognised association with DS (Table 1).

CONCLUSION

Children with DS are at an increased risk of multiorgan comorbidities. Organ-specific health surveillance may provide holistic care for the children and families with DS throughout childhood.

Estimating racial health disparities among adverse birth outcomes as deviations from the population rates

Background

Despite significant research, the reasons for racial health disparities among adverse birth outcomes (ABO) remain largely unknown. The bulk of research into racial health disparities among ABO in the United States has concentrated on the risk of race and ethnic groups relative to the specific sub-population of non-Hispanic white women and their children. The objective of this study was to estimate the racial and ethnic risks among a set of neonatal and maternal health disparities while minimizing bias attributable to how the baseline risk was established.

Methods

All birth records were obtained from the United States Natality database for the years 2014 to 2017. A Bayesian modeling approach was used to estimate the risk disparity for disorders by race. The estimation of the race-specific risks used a sum-to-zero constraint for the race regression coefficients.

Results

Estimating racial health disparities relative to the overall population rate yielded novel results and identified perinatal health disparities for all the race groups studied.

Conclusions

Unbiased risk estimates for racial disparities among ABO are now available for stimulating and initiating more complex causal modeling that can lead to understanding how racial health disparities for ABO are mediated and how they can be prevented.

Increased systemic inflammation in children with Down syndrome

Children with Down syndrome (DS) develop more infections, have an increased mortality from sepsis and an increased incidence of chronic inflammatory conditions. Cytokine dysregulation may underpin these clinical sequelae and raised pro-inflammatory biomarkers are a feature in adults with DS. The importance of the anti-inflammatory mediators IL-1ra and IL-10, as well as cytokines Epo and VEGF, which could impact on the pathogenesis and outcomes in congenital heart disease (CHD) which is more prevalent in DS, are less well known. We examined a comprehensive array of pro-(IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ), and anti-inflammatory (IL-10 and IL-1ra) mediators, cytokines involved in inflammation in response to hypoxia (EPO), propagating angiogenesis (VEGF), and myelopoiesis (GM-CSF), by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), as well as discussing the potential impact of significant CHD and Lipopolysaccharide endotoxin on these mediators. 114 children with DS and 60 age and sex matched controls were recruited. Children with Down syndrome exhibit significantly greater levels of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines; IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1ra, as well as increased Epo, VEGF and GM-CSF at baseline. CHD does not seem to have an impact on circulating cytokines beyond the acute surgical phase. Both cohorts had similar responses to LPS stimulation. These differences may contribute to varied clinical outcomes, acutely like in sepsis, and over time in autoimmunity.

Assessing the Efficacy of Very Early Motor Rehabilitation in Children with Down Syndrome

Among children with Down syndrome, the frequency of motor rehabilitation intervention and the age at the start of this intervention are independently related to the age at onset of independent walking. Early motor rehabilitation, before age 6 months, may be effective in reducing motor delay in children with Down syndrome.

Elevated Nucleated Red Blood Cells in Neonates with Down Syndrome and Pulmonary Hypertension

We report an association between higher absolute nucleated red blood cells and mean corpuscular volume and idiopathic persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn in neonates with Down syndrome. Elevation of these blood indicies should prompt echocardiographic studies to monitor pulmonary arterial pressures.

Cardiac mechanics in infants with Down syndrome in the early neonatal period

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to test whether myocardial performance is impaired over the first week of age in infants with Down syndrome (DS) without congenital heart disease (CHD).

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective cohort study of 20 infants with DS without CHD and 17 healthy term infants comparing echocardiographic measures of left (LV) and right (RV) ventricular function and pulmonary hypertension (PH) on days 1, 2, and 5-7.

RESULTS

Indices of PH were higher in the DS group over the study period. Infants with DS had larger RV and smaller LV dimensions. Fractional area change and RV longitudinal strain values were lower in the DS group. LV shear strain values were lower in infants with DS driven by a lack of basal rotation.

CONCLUSION

Infants with DS without CHD and echocardiographic evidence of PH during the early neonatal period demonstrate reduced RV systolic function with impaired LV rotational mechanics, reflective of the ventricular interdependence.

Surgical Treatment for Congenital Heart Defects in Down Syndrome Patients

OBJECTIVE

To analyze data related to surgical treatment in patients with congenital heart defects (CHD) and Down syndrome (DS) based on information from International Quality Improvement Collaborative Database for Congenital Heart Disease (IQIC).

METHODS

Between July 1, 2010 and December 31, 2017, 139 patients with CHD and DS underwent surgery at Hospital de Base and Hospital da Criança e Maternidade de São José do Rio Preto (FUNFARME)/Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto - SP (FAMERP). A quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study was performed in which the pre, intra and postoperative data were analyzed in an IQIC database. The data included gender, age, prematurity, weight, preoperative procedures, diagnosis, associated cardiac and non-cardiac anomalies, Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1), type of surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), perfusion time, aortic clamping time and CPB temperature, bacterial sepsis, surgical site infection and other infections, length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU), length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

The most prevalent procedures were complete atrioventricular septal defect repair (58 - 39.45%), followed by closure of ventricular septal defect (36 - 24.49%). The RACHS-1 categories 1, 2, 3 and 4 were distributed as 22 (15%); 49 (33.3%); 72 (49%) and 4 (2.7%), respectively. There were no procedures classified as categories 5 or 6. Bacterial sepsis occurred in 10.2% of cases, surgical site infection in 6.1%, other infections in 14.3%. The median length of ICU stay was 5 days and the median length of hospital stay was 11 days. In-hospital mortality was 6.8%.

CONCLUSION

Surgical treatment in patients with CHD and DS usually does not require highly complex surgical procedures, but are affected by infectious complications, resulting in a longer ICU and hospital length of stay with considerable mortality.

Correlates of early cognition in infants with Down syndrome

BACKGROUND

While delays in cognitive development are detectable during early development in Down syndrome, the neuropsychological and biomedical underpinnings of cognitive skill acquisition in this population remain poorly understood.

METHOD

To explore this issue, 38 infants with Down syndrome [mean chronological age = 9.65 months; SD = 3.64] completed the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III and a set of laboratory tasks that measured sustained attention (duration of visual attention during a 1-min object exploration task), attention shifting (mean latency to shift attention on an alternating object presentation task) and visual short-term memory (dishabituation to a novel object on a change preference task).

RESULTS

Latency to shift attention was negatively associated with Bayley Cognitive Scale raw scores, even when controlling for the effects of chronological age, r (33) = -.41, P = .02. In addition, prematurity status was associated with latency to shift attention.

CONCLUSIONS

Early attention shifting may be an important factor that facilitates overall cognitive skill acquisition in infants with Down syndrome, and premature birth may be a risk factor for difficulties on this dimension.

Hospitalization for Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Children with Down Syndrome Less than 2 Years of Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

To compare the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related hospitalization rate, hospital length of stay (LOS), and need for assisted ventilation in children aged <2 years with Down syndrome and those without Down syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN

MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL databases were searched from inception up to December 2017. Studies that provided data on RSV-related hospitalization in children aged <2 years with Down syndrome and those without Down syndrome were included. Data were independently extracted in pairs by 2 reviewers and synthesized with random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

In 10 studies including a total of 1 748 209 children, 12.6% of the children with Down syndrome (491 of 3882) were hospitalized with RSV infection. The presence of Down syndrome was associated with a significantly higher risk of RSV-related hospitalization (relative risk [RR], 6.06; 95% CI, 4.93-7.45; I² = 65%; Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation [GRADE], moderate). RSV-related LOS (mean difference, 2.11 days; 95% CI, 1.47-2.75 days; I² = 0%; GRADE, low), and the need for assisted ventilation (RR, 5.82; 95% CI, 1.81-18.69; I² = 84%; GRADE, low). Children with Down syndrome without congenital heart disease (RR, 6.31; 95% CI, 4.83-8.23; GRADE, moderate) also had a significantly higher risk of RSV-related hospitalization. The risk of RSV-related hospitalization remained significant in the subgroup of children aged <1 year (RR, 6.25; 95% CI, 4.71-8.28; GRADE, high).

CONCLUSION

RSV-related hospitalization, hospital LOS, and the need for assisted ventilation are significantly higher in children with Down syndrome aged <2 years compared with those without Down syndrome. The results should prompt reconsideration of the need for routine RSV prophylaxis in children with Down syndrome up to 2 years of age.

NICU management and outcomes of infants with trisomy 21 without major anomalies

OBJECTIVE

To describe how trisomy 21 affects neonatal intensive care management and outcomes of full-term infants without congenital anomalies.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort of full-term infants without anomalies with and without trisomy 21 admitted to Pediatrix NICUs from 2005 to 2012. We compared diagnoses, management, length of stay, and discharge outcomes.

RESULTS

In all, 4623 infants with trisomy 21 and 606 770 infants without trisomy 21 were identified. One-third of infants in the NICU with and without trisomy 21 were full term without major anomalies. Trisomy 21 infants had more respiratory distress, thrombocytopenia, feeding problems, and pulmonary hypertension. They received respiratory support for a longer period of time and had a longer length of stay.

CONCLUSION

One-third of infants with trisomy 21 admitted to the NICU are full term without major anomalies. Common diagnoses and greater respiratory needs place infants with trisomy 21 at risk for longer length of stay.