Neonatology News December 2024

Infants born more than three months prematurely are at high risk for adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes that often persist through childhood, manifesting as wheezing or abnormalities in lung or heart function. Currently the imprecise diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is based solely on clinical features, and it is impossible to predict how the disease will evolve in the long term, which limits opportunities for early intervention. To improve diagnosis and treatment, a new study at Lurie Children’s, funded by $7.6 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will use advanced statistical genetics and machine learning to identify disease subtypes that are based on genetic data and associated outcomes.

“Our study will investigate genetic influence on long-term cardiac and respiratory outcomes of premature infants, in order to identify genetic pathways that correspond to high likelihood for specific outcomes, such as asthma or cardiac dysfunction,” said Principal Investigator Aaron Hamvas, MD, Division Head of Neonatology at Lurie Children’s. “We hope that our results will lead to genetic testing in the neonatal intensive care unit and allow earlier interventions according to the disease subtype. This advance may transform the trajectory of lung disease in premature infants.” Read more.

A recent study led by neonatologist Megan Lagoski, MD, from Lurie Children’s found that 41 percent of surveyed level IV NICUs across the Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Consortium screened parents for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD). The study also found that only 38 percent of centers have NICU dedicated psychologists.

PMADs affect many NICU parents and are a significant risk factor for maternal suicide. Lack of screening and treatment interferes with infant development and bonding, compounding risks in fragile infants. The study concludes that creating a sustainable model to detect PMADs likely requires more mental health professionals in NICUs.

The study was published in the American Journal of Perinatology. Pediatric psychologist Miller Shivers, PhD, from Lurie Children’s was a co-author.