Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt

About: Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 1046 authors who have published 1262 publications receiving 28063 citations. The organization is also known as: Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.

A silver-alginate-coated dressing to reduce peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) infections in NICU patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Abstract: Our aim was to evaluate the safety of a silver–alginate-containing dressing to reduce peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) infections in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. Patients were randomized 3:1 to receive a patch containing silver, alginate and maltodextrin or standard of care. Patches were placed under the regular transparent retention dressing at the PICC exit site at insertion and were replaced with every dressing change at least every 2 weeks until PICC discontinuation. All study infants were monitored for adverse skin reactions. A total of 100 infants were followed up for 1922 person-days, including 75 subjects with 89 PICCs who received the patch. The median birth weight (1330 g) and median gestational age (30 weeks) was lower in the patch group when compared with the controls (P=0.001 and 0.005, respectively). Study patients received the patch with their PICC at a median age of 5 days; the patch stayed in place for a median of 13 days. We noted no adverse skin reactions and found no evidence that the patch alters the microbiology of PICC-associated infections. This pilot trial suggests that silver–alginate-coated dressings are skin safe and their inclusion in future trials aimed at reduction of PICC-associated bloodstream infections in the NICU should be considered.

The premie-neuro: a clinical neurologic examination of premature infants.

Abstract: Purpose To develop a neurologic assessment tool, the Premie-Neuro, for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT: Neurologic data were collected during the coursc of the NICU stay. Factor analysis was utilized to determine the strength of relationships between items and to reduce the initial number of test items. Sample An NICU cohort of 86 preterm infants was enrolled. Mean birth weight was 1165.8 +/- 446.7 grams, and mean gestational age at birth was 28.8 +/- 3.2 weeks. Method Seventy-five neurologic and behavioral characteristics were assessed in week 1 of life and every 2 weeks thereafter until 38 weeks posreonceprional age. Main outcome variable Three factors, the Neurologic Scale, the Movement Scale, and the Responsiveness Scale, described the neurologic examination. Results Factor reliability was calculated for internal consistency (Cronbach alpha coefficient) and ranged from .73 to .82. The Premie-Neuro can be utilized with VLBW infants to monitor neurologic development during NICU care.