[Longitudinal study on catch-up growth in preterm infants with small for gestational age at corrected ages 0-24 months]

OBJECTIVES

To understand the growth and development status and differences between small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) preterm infants during corrected ages 0-24 months, and to provide a basis for early health interventions for preterm infants.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted, selecting 824 preterm infants who received regular health care at the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from July 2019 to July 2022, including 144 SGA and 680 AGA infants. The growth data of SGA and AGA groups at birth and corrected ages 0-24 months were analyzed and compared.

RESULTS

The SGA group had significantly lower weight and length than the AGA group at corrected ages 0-18 months (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the two groups at corrected age 24 months (P>0.05). At corrected age 24 months, 85% (34/40) of SGA and 79% (74/94) of AGA preterm infants achieved catch-up growth. Stratified analysis by gestational age showed that there were significant differences in weight and length at corrected ages 0-9 months between the SGA subgroup with gestational age <34 weeks and the AGA subgroups with gestational age <34 weeks and 34 weeks (P<0.05). In addition, the weight and length of the SGA subgroup with gestational age 34 weeks showed significant differences compared to the AGA subgroups with gestational age <34 weeks and 34 weeks at corrected ages 0-18 months and corrected ages 0-12 months, respectively (P<0.05). Catch-up growth for SGA infants with gestational age <34 weeks and 34 weeks mainly occurred at corrected ages 0-12 months and corrected ages 0-18 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

SGA infants exhibit delayed early-life physical growth compared to AGA infants, but can achieve a higher proportion of catch-up growth by corrected age 24 months than AGA infants. Catch-up growth can be achieved earlier in SGA infants with a gestational age of <34 weeks compared to those with 34 weeks.

[Retrospective review of airway obstruction in 19 infants with pharyngeal cysts]

Objective:To discuss the clinical characteristic and treatment of laryngeal cysts in infants. Methods:The clinical data of 19 patients diagnosed with laryngeal cysts in Department of Otolaryngology, Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital from November 2017 to April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Results:All of the 19 patients were diagnosed as laryngeal cysts, with clinical manifestations included respiratory distress, inspiratory dyspnea, difficulty in feeding and low and weak crying, etc. All of them were cured after surgical treatment. Conclusion:Misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of laryngeal cysts are prone to occur in infants and young children. After diagnosis, patients should undergo early surgical treatment to remove airway obstruction and improve ventilation.

[Risk factors for neonatal asphyxia and establishment of a nomogram model for predicting neonatal asphyxia in Hubei Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture: a multicenter study]

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the risk factors for neonatal asphyxia in Hubei Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and establish a nomogram model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted with 613 cases of neonatal asphyxia treated in 20 cooperative hospitals in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture from January to December 2019 as the asphyxia group, and 988 randomly selected non-asphyxia neonates born and admitted to the neonatology department of these hospitals during the same period as the control group. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for neonatal asphyxia. R software (4.2.2) was used to establish a nomogram model. Receiver operator characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis were used to assess the discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia, respectively.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that minority (Tujia), male sex, premature birth, congenital malformations, abnormal fetal position, intrauterine distress, maternal occupation as a farmer, education level below high school, fewer than 9 prenatal check-ups, threatened abortion, abnormal umbilical cord, abnormal amniotic fluid, placenta previa, abruptio placentae, emergency caesarean section, and assisted delivery were independent risk factors for neonatal asphyxia (P<0.05). The area under the curve of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia based on these risk factors was 0.748 (95%CI: 0.723-0.772). The calibration curve indicated high accuracy of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia. The decision curve analysis showed that the model could provide a higher net benefit for neonates at risk of asphyxia.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk factors for neonatal asphyxia in Hubei Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture are multifactorial, and the nomogram model based on these factors has good value in predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia, which can help clinicians identify neonates at high risk of asphyxia early, and reduce the incidence of neonatal asphyxia.

Effect of animal protein diet on the prognosis of children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura

OBJECTIVES

To study the association of animal protein diet with the recurrence of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP)/skin rash and the risk factors for recurrence of HSP.

METHODS

A prospective analysis was performed for 121 children with HSP who were admitted to the Beijing Children's Hospital from October to December 2020. The children were given the doctor's advice of the same diet (animal protein diet could be added after 1 week without new-onset skin rash). Follow-up was performed at the outpatient service for half a year. According to the presence or absence of animal protein intake, the children were divided into an observation group with 65 children and a control group with 56 children. The times of skin rash recurrence, the incidence of HSP recurrence, and the incidence of kidney injury were compared between the two groups. According to the presence or absence of recurrence, the children were divided into a recurrence group with 32 children and a non-recurrence group with 89 children. A questionnaire on food frequency was used to record the daily intake of animal protein in the two groups. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for recurrence of HSP in children.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the observation and control groups in the times of skin rash recurrence, the incidence rate of HSP recurrence, and the incidence rate of kidney injury (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the daily intake of animal protein between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups (P>0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that presence of kidney injury at initial onset, respiratory infection after cure for the first time, and lack of exercise control after cure for the first time were independent risk factors for the recurrence of HSP in children (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is no significant association between animal protein diet and the recurrence of HSP or skin rash. Timely treatment of kidney injury, avoidance of infection after cure, and limitation of strenuous exercise may help to reduce the recurrence rate of HSP in children. Citation.