Vegetarian and vegan diets have increased worldwide in the last decades, according to the knowledge that they might prevent coronary heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Althought plant-based diets are at risk of nutritional deficiencies such as proteins, iron, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, omega-3, and vitamin B12, the available evidence shows that well planned vegetarian and vegan diets may be considered safe during pregnancy and lactation, but they require a strong awareness for a balanced intake of key nutrients. A review of the scientific literature in this field was performed, focusing specifically on observational studies in humans, in order to investigate protective effects elicited by maternal diets enriched in plant-derived foods and possible unfavorable outcomes related to micronutrients deficiencies and their impact on fetal development. A design of pregestational nutrition intervention is required in order to avoid maternal undernutrition and consequent impaired fetal growth.

Background: The prognosis of neonatal respiratory distress may be difficult to estimate at admission. Lung ultrasound is a useful diagnostic tool that is quick, requires little training, and is radiation free. Objective: This study aims to analyze whether early lung ultrasound can predict respiratory failure. Methods: From January to December 2014, lung ultrasound was performed on neonates admitted with breathing difficulties if they were older than 32 weeks and not intubated. A neonatologist, not aware of the patient's clinical condition, analyzed the stored ultrasound images. The findings were classified into the following 2 groups according to the potential risk of a bad respiratory outcome: low risk (normal or transient tachypnea of the newborn) or high risk (respiratory distress syndrome, meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumothorax, or pneumonia). A second investigator made the same classification after reading the chest X-rays. Respiratory failure was defined as a need for mechanical ventilation during the first day of life. Results: In total, 105 neonates were recruited (64.8% in the low-risk sonography group and 35.2% in the high-risk sonography group). Of those, 20% needed intubation, and this was more frequent in the high-risk group (relative risk = 17.5; 95% CI 4.3-70.9, p < 0.01). As predictors of respiratory failure, lung ultrasound and chest X-ray showed a high index of agreement (κ coefficient = 0.91; 95% CI 0.83-1, p < 0.01) and good accuracy (ultrasound: 95% sensitivity, 82.5% specificity, and a negative predictive value of 98.5%). Conclusions: Early lung ultrasound is a useful tool to determine which neonates admitted with respiratory distress will require mechanical ventilation. It may help the clinician to carrying out appropriate transfers.

Introduction: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is useful for respiratory management in very preterm infants (VPI), but little is known about the echographic patterns in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), the relation between the image findings, and the severity of the disease and its long-term outcomes. We aimed to describe LUS patterns in BPD and analyze the accuracy of LUS to predict the need for respiratory support at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) in VPI. Methods: Preterm infants ≤30.6 weeks of gestational age were recruited. LUS was performed at admission, at 7th, and 28th day of life (DOL) with a standardized protocol (6 zones: anterior, lateral, and posterior fields). Clinical data, respiratory outcomes, and image findings were recorded. Results: Eighty-nine patients were studied. Infants with BPD had significantly higher LUS score at admission, at 7th, and 28th DOL. Patients with BPD exhibited more consolidations and pleural line abnormalities at 7th and 28th DOL than those without BPD (p < 0.001), regardless of the definition used for BPD. LUS at 7th DOL predicted NICHD 2001-BPD with R² = 0.522; AUC = 0.87 (0.79–0.94), p < 0.001, and Jensen 2019-BPD with R² = 0.315 (AUC = 0.80 [0.70–0.90], p < 0.001). A model including mechanical ventilation >5 days, oxygen therapy for 7 days and LUS score at 7th DOL accurately predicted the need for respiratory support at 36 weeks PMA (R² = 0.655, p < 0.001) with an AUC = 0.90 (0.84–0.97), p < 0.001. Conclusion: LUS score, pleural line abnormalities, and consolidations can be useful to diagnose BPD in VPI and to predict its severity after the first week of life.

Aim: To analyze different methods to assess postnatal growth in a cohort of very premature infants (VPI) in a clinical setting and identify potential early markers of growth failure. Methods: Study of growth determinants in VPI (≤32 weeks) during hospital stay. Nutritional intakes and clinical evolution were recorded. Growth velocity (GV: g/kg/day), extrauterine growth restriction (%) (EUGR: weight < 10th centile, z-score < −1.28) and postnatal growth failure (PGF: fall in z-score > 1.34) at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) were calculated. Associations between growth and clinical or nutritional variables were explored (linear and logistic regression). Results: Sample: 197 VPI. GV in IUGR patients was higher than in non-IUGRs (28 days of life and discharge). At 36 weeks PMA 66.0% of VPIs, including all but one of the IUGR patients, were EUGR. Prevalence of PGF at the same time was 67.4% (IUGR patients: 48.1%; non-IUGRs: 70.5% (p = 0.022)). Variables related to PGF at 36 weeks PMA were initial weight loss (%), need for oxygen and lower parenteral lipids in the first week. Conclusions: The analysis of z-scores was better suited to identify postnatal growth faltering. PGF could be reduced by minimising initial weight loss and assuring adequate nutrition in patients at risk.