AIM To examine the effect of body position on clinically significant gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in preterm infants. METHODS Eighteen preterm infants with clinically significant GOR were studied prospectively using 24 hour lower oesophageal pH monitoring. Infants were nursed in three positions (prone, left, and right lateral) for 8 hours in each position, with the order randomly assigned. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance. RESULTS The median (range) reflux index (RI) for the group was 13.8% (5.8–40.4). There was no significant difference in the mean time spent in each position. RI (mean % (SEM)) was significantly less in prone (6.3 (1.7)) and left lateral positions (11.0 (2.2)), when compared with the right lateral position (29.4 (3.2)); p<0.001. The mean (SEM) longest episodes (mins) of GOR were reduced by prone and left positions (8.6 (2.2) and 10.0 (2.4), respectively) compared with the right position (26.0 (3.9)); p<0.001. The mean (SE) number of episodes was reduced by prone (15.4 (2.8)) and left (24.6 (3.5)) positions when compared with right (41.6 (4.6)) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Prone and left lateral positions significantly reduce the severity of GOR, by reducing the number of episodes and the duration of the longest episodes. Such positioning offers a useful adjunct to the treatment in hospital of preterm infants with gastro-oesophageal reflux.

Background and aims: Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a potentially devastating disorder of preterm infants but its aetiology remains unclear. The aim of these studies was to develop a neonatal piglet model for NEC and to then use the model to investigate the role of platelet activating factor (PAF) in its pathogenesis. Methods: Anaesthetised newborn piglets were divided into six groups: (i) controls, and groups subjected to (ii) hypoxia, (iii) lipopolysaccharide (LPS), (iv) hypoxia+LPS, (v) hypoxia+LPS and the PAF antagonist WEB 2170, and (vi) PAF. Arterial blood pressure (ABP), superior mesenteric artery blood flow (MBF), mesenteric vascular conductance (MVC), and arterial blood gases were recorded, and intestinal histology was evaluated. Results: Exposure to LPS, hypoxia+LPS, or PAF all caused haemorrhagic intestinal lesions associated with varying degrees of intestinal injury. PAF caused a significant initial decrease in both MVC and MBF whereas hypoxia+LPS caused a significant late reduction in ABP and MBF with a trend towards a decrease in MVC. The effects of hypoxia+LPS on both haemodynamic changes and intestinal injury were ameliorated by WEB 2170. Conclusions: Administration of hypoxia and LPS or of PAF in the neonatal piglet induces haemodynamic changes and intestinal lesions that are consistent with NEC. These effects are ameliorated by prior administration of WEB 2170, indicating an important role for PAF in the pathogenesis of NEC.

The concept of using pulse oximetry as a screening method to detect undiagnosed critical congenital heart defects (CCHD) in asymptomatic newborns was first explored over 10 years ago. A number of studies were subsequently reported, which initially involved relatively small numbers of patients, low prevalence of CCHD and heterogeneous methodology. As a consequence, the majority of clinicians felt the case for routine pulse oximetry screening had not been proven. In the last 3 years, four European studies reporting the test accuracy of routine pulse oximetry screening, and involving over 150 ,000 babies, have strengthened the argument. A systematic review and meta-analysis of almost 230 ,000 screened babies has also recently been published which reported high specificity, moderate sensitivity and a low false-positive rate. In addition, acceptability to parents and staff, cost-effectiveness and feasibility of implementing screening outside the research context have also been reported. Pulse oximetry screening is a highly specific, moderately sensitive test, which is acceptable to parents and staff, likely to be cost-effective and fulfils the criteria for universal screening. Routine screening for CCHD using pulse oximetry is being increasingly supported and was added to the recommended uniform screening panel in the USA in 2011.