(1) Objective: This review aims to identify the clinical and practical barriers to optimizing nutrition in newborn infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to describe updated evidence-based recommendations for clinical and nutritional management of these patients in a narrative review. (2) Research Methods and Procedures: We conducted a search of the relevant literature published from 2000 to December 2021. (3) Results: CHD patients undergo several nutritional challenges related to the underlying cardiac disease anomaly, the potential increased risk of NEC, and delayed enteral feeding, resulting in inadequate energy intake and sub-optimal growth, increased morbidity and mortality. (4) Conclusions: To optimize nutrition and growth in newborn infants with CHD, standardized protocols should be implemented. Regular nutritional and growth assessment with a multi-disciplinary team is essential. We propose a decisional algorithm that may represent a potentially useful tool to guide clinicians to optimize growth and nutrition.

Objective: Accurate and validated predictors of outcome for infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia are needed. Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II has been validated to predict mortality in newborns. We investigated whether Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II scores in congenital diaphragmatic hernia could predict mortality, need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (in patients born in a center with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation availability), and development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (oxygen dependency beyond 28 d after birth) in survivors. Design: Data were obtained from a prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial of initial ventilation strategy carried out by the Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia EURO Consortium (NTR 1310). Setting: ICUs of level III university children’s hospitals. Patients: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia infants without severe chromosomal anomalies or severe cardiac anomalies born between November 2008 and December 2013. Interventions: Randomization for initial ventilation strategy (high-frequency oscillation/ conventional mechanical ventilation. Measurements and Main Results: Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II and outcome parameters. Of the 171 included patients, 46 died (26.9%), 40 of 108 (37.0%) underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and 39 of 125 survivors (31.2%) developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In nonsurvivors, the median Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II was 42.5 (interquartile range, 33.5–53.8) and 16.5 (interquartile range, 9.0–27.5) in survivors (p < 0.001). Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II also significantly differed between extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and non–extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-treated patients (p < 0.001), and survivors with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for hernia side, liver position, ventilation mode, gestational age, center and observed-to-expected lung-to-head-ratio showed that Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II was associated with mortality (odds ratio, 1.16 [1.09–1.23]; p < 0.001) and need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support (odds ratio, 1.07 [1.02–1.13]; p = 0.01), but not for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (odds ratio, 1.04 [0.99–1.09]; p = 0.14). Conclusions: The Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II predicts not only mortality but also need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients. We, therefore, recommend to implement this simple and rapid scoring system in the evaluation of severity of illness in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and thereby have insight into the prognosis within 1 day after birth.

Epigenetic regulators such as microRNAs (miRNAs) have a key role in modulating several gene expression pathways and have a role both in lung development and function. One of the main pathogenetic determinants in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is pulmonary hypertension (PH), which is directly related to smaller lung size and pulmonary microarchitecture alterations. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of miRNAs in CDH-related PH and to summarize the results covering this topic in animal and human CDH studies. The focus on epigenetic modulators of CDH-PH offers the opportunity to develop innovative diagnostic tools and novel treatment modalities, and provides a great potential to increase researchers’ understanding of the pathophysiology of CDH.

The nutrition of preterm infants remains contaminated by wrong beliefs that reflect inexactitudes and perpetuate old practices. In this narrative review, we report current evidence in preterm neonates and in preterm neonates undergoing surgery. Convictions that necrotizing enterocolitis is reduced by the delay in introducing enteral feeding, a slow advancement in enteral feeds, and the systematic control of residual gastric volumes, should be abandoned. On the contrary, these practices prolong the time to reach full enteral feeding. The length of parenteral nutrition should be as short as possible to reduce the infectious risk. Intrauterine growth restriction, hemodynamic and respiratory instability, and patent ductus arteriosus should be considered in advancing enteral feeds, but they must not translate into prolonged fasting, which can be equally dangerous. Clinicians should also keep in mind the risk of refeeding syndrome in case of high amino acid intake and inadequate electrolyte supply, closely monitoring them. Conversely, when preterm infants undergo surgery, nutritional strategies are still based on retrospective studies and opinions rather than on randomized controlled trials. Finally, this review also highlights how the use of adequately fortified human milk is strongly recommended, as it offers unique benefits for immune and gastrointestinal health and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Introduction: The use of a lung ultrasound (LUS) score has been described in the early phases of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome; however, there is still no data regarding the application of the LUS score to neonates with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The objective of this observational cross-sectional study was to explore, for the first time, the postnatal changes in LUS score patterns in neonates with CDH, with the creation of a new specific CDH-LUS score. Methods: We included all consecutive neonates with a prenatal diagnosis of CDH admitted to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from June 2022 to December 2022 who underwent lung ultrasonography. Lung ultrasonography (LUS) was determined at scheduled time points: (T0) during the first 24 h of life; (T1) at 24–48 h of life; (T2) within 12 h of surgical repair; (T3) a week after the surgical repair. We used a modified LUS score (CDH-LUS), starting from the original 0–3 score. We assigned 4 as a score in the presence of herniated viscera in the hemithorax (liver, small bowel, stomach, or heart in the case of a mediastinal shift) in the preoperative scans or pleural effusions in the postoperative scans. Results: We included in this observational cross-sectional study 13 infants: twelve/13 had a left-sided hernia (2 severe, 3 moderate, and 7 mild cases), while one patient had a right-sided severe hernia. The median CDH-LUS score was 22 (IQR 16–28) during the first 24 h of life (T0), 21 (IQR 15–22) at 24–48 h of life (T1), 14 (IQR 12–18) within 12 h of surgical repair (T2) and 4 (IQR 2–15) a week after the surgical repair (T3). The CDH-LUS significantly dropped over time from the first 24 h of life (T0) to a week after the surgical repair (T3), according to ANOVA for repeated measures. Conclusion: We showed a significant improvement in CDH-LUS scores from the immediate postoperative period, with normal ultrasonographic evaluations a week after surgery in most patients.

The ductus arteriosus represents an essential vascular structure connecting the pulmonary artery and the aorta. Over the past decades, there has been substantial advancement in our understanding of both the fundamental and clinical aspects of the ductus arteriosus. In particular, the clarification of the regulatory mechanisms governing ductal patency in critical stages such as the fetal and the perinatal period has enabled optimal management of both physiological and pathological conditions in which the ductus arteriosus plays a crucial role. Furthermore, a more in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanisms controlling this fundamental structure has facilitated the development of advanced therapeutic strategies and personalized interventions. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the ductus arteriosus during fetal and perinatal life, encompassing its physiological functions, pathological conditions, and clinical implications. Through this examination, we aim to contribute to a broader understanding of the ductus arteriosus’ role in these critical developmental stages and its significance in clinical practice.