Latest Neonatology research

Top 10 this week

Week of 20 September 2026

1. 1

   Association between surgical repair timing and mortality in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

   Clinical and experimental pediatrics · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 17 September 2026

   Timing of CDH repair and mortality meta‑analysis

2. 2

   Effectiveness of structured lactation support and human donor milk banking in German NICUs: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial

   BMC medicine · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 11 September 2026

   Structured lactation support and donor milk trial in NICUs

3. 3

   Individually Targeted Human Milk Fortification: A Randomized Clinical Trial

   JAMA pediatrics · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 14 September 2026

   In a double-blind trial of 130 infants born 24-30 weeks, point-of-care milk analysis guided extra protein or fat but did not improve weight, length, head-circumference z scores, fat-free mass, or near-term brain MRI compared with standard fortification. Both groups met nutrient targets, suggesting routine targeted fortification is unnecessary.

4. 4

   Recorded Contingent Caregiver Voice Independently Improves Neural Speech Processing in Hospitalized Preterm Infants: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial

   Journal of clinical medicine · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 5 September 2026

   Not relevant to neonatal clinical care

5. 5

   Early-life serum protein profiles associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely preterm infants

   Respiratory research · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 18 September 2026

   Early‑life serum proteins linked to bronchopulmonary dysplasia

6. 6

   Multimodal non-pharmacological pain relief during adhesive tape removal in preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial

   Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 17 September 2026

   Non‑pharmacological pain relief during tape removal in preterms

7. 7

   Isolated physical activity programs during pregnancy and postpartum: Meta-analysis of randomized trials with usual-care controls on depressive and anxiety symptoms

   Archives of women's mental health · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 14 September 2026

   High-quality evidence in a top journal

8. 8

   Maternal and Neonatal Complications in Pregnant Women With Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome: A Nested Prospective Cohort Study

   Diabetes care · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 16 September 2026

   Maternal PCOS study, not neonatal clinical management

9. 9

   Association Between Proteinuria and Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Preterm Pre-Eclampsia Undergoing Expectant Management: Secondary Analysis of Two Randomised Trials

   BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 18 September 2026

   Proteinuria in pre‑eclampsia, obstetric focus not neonatal respiratory

10. 10

    Impact of real-time respiratory function monitoring on neonatal mask ventilation training: a multicentre simulation-based crossover study

    BMJ paediatrics open · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 15 September 2026

    In a multicentre crossover simulation, clinicians who could see respiratory function monitor feedback delivered neonatal mask ventilation with less mask leak and more breaths within the 4-8 mL/kg tidal-volume target, especially on preterm and term manikins. The benefit persisted after the display was hidden, indicating a short-term learning carry-over.

Paper of the day, last two weeks

• Expanded versus classical assessments for identifying mandate for lung ultrasound-guided surfactant therapy in preterm neonates (EXCLAIM-LUS): a retrospective comparative study

  European journal of pediatrics · Q1 journal · Cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 21 September 2026

  In a retrospective review of preterm infants up to 34 weeks with respiratory distress, four lung-ultrasound scoring protocols (6-area anterolateral, 6-area anterolateral-posterior, 10-area, and 12-area) all showed similar ability to identify those requiring surfactant (AUC 0.80-0.83). Because the simple 6-area method performed equally well, it may be the preferred choice for routine bedside decision-making, though prospective validation is still needed.

• Incidence and Risk Factors of Late-Onset Hypoglycemia in Extremely Low Gestational Age or Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

  Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 19 September 2026

  Late‑onset hypoglycemia in ELGA/ELBW infants

• Brachiocephalic centrally inserted central catheters in infants born < 32 weeks gestation and/or < 1500 g: a prospective comparison with epicutaneo-caval catheters

  European journal of pediatrics · Q1 journal · Prospective cohort · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 16 September 2026

  In a prospective cohort of 66 infants under 32 weeks or 1500 g, ultrasound-guided brachiocephalic CICCs were placed without major mechanical complications and had similar low rates of physiological events (8% vs 7%) and bloodstream infection (12% vs 14%) compared with ECCs.

• Camera-based respiratory rate monitoring in unmodified neonatal intensive care - a cross-sectional study in a UK hospital

  EClinicalMedicine · Q1 journal · Cross-sectional · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 31 August 2026

  Camera system achieved 57.8% valid measurement of RR

• Treatment Approaches and Outcomes of Central Vascular Catheter-related Thrombosis in Neonates: A Canadian Retrospective Cohort Study

  Thrombosis and haemostasis · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 11 September 2026

  Anticoagulation not associated with thrombotic progression in neonates

• Maternal neighborhood deprivation and its association with early childhood neurodevelopmental impairment in extremely preterm infants

  Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 10 September 2026

  Maternal deprivation linked to neurodevelopment in EP infants

• Cannula with long and narrow tubing versus short binasal prongs for nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome: a randomised non-inferiority trial

  Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 10 September 2026

  In a trial of 316 preterm infants, nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation via a long, narrow-tube cannula lowered any nasal injury from 45% to 12% compared with short binasal prongs, while the rate of treatment failure requiring intubation was slightly higher (17% vs 15%) and non-inferiority was not proven. Mortality and major morbidities were similar, leaving clinicians to weigh reduced trauma against a modestly higher risk of early ventilation failure.

• Oxygen vs Air at Birth for Moderate- to Late-Preterm Infants: The AIROPLANE Cluster Randomized Crossover Trial

  JAMA · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 9 September 2026

  AIROPLANE trial comparing FiO2 0.30 vs 0.21

• Triggering modalities to synchronise non-invasive respiratory support in preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  BMJ paediatrics open · Q1 journal · SR of cohorts · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 8 September 2026

  sNIPPV reduces extubation failure vs nCPAP

• Breast milk intake, intact parathyroid hormone, and %tubular phosphate reabsorption as predictors of bone mineral density at term-equivalent age in very preterm and/or low-birth-weight infants: A prospective cohort study

  Early human development · Q1 journal · Prospective cohort · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 31 August 2026

  In a cohort of 105 infants born up to 31 weeks or up to 1500 g, higher intake of fortified breast milk was independently associated with greater bone mineral density at term-equivalent age, while elevated intact parathyroid hormone at four weeks predicted lower density. Early monitoring of iPTH (or % tubular phosphate reabsorption) together with optimized milk fortification may help prevent metabolic bone disease in this high-risk group.