Arjan B Te Pas

Arjan B Te Pas
Leiden University Medical Centre | LUMC · Department of Pediatrics

MD, PhD

About

348
Publications
129,131
Reads
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12,123
Citations
Additional affiliations
May 2008 - present
Leiden University Medical Centre
Position
  • neonatologist

Publications

Publications (348)
Article
Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can act as a bridge to recovery in both pre-and postoperative patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA). However, literature on its use in these patients is scarce. Methods Retrospective single-centre cohort study encompassing all TGA patients who received ECMO between January 200...
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Background Very preterm infants often require respiratory support after birth with current recommendations suggesting the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) of 4–8 cmH 2 O and an initial fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2 ) of 0.21–0.3. We have examined the interaction of high and low CPAP and FiO 2 levels on breathing rates and lung...
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Introduction As airway liquid is cleared into lung interstitial tissue after birth, the chest wall must expand to accommodate this liquid and the incoming air. We examined the effect of applying external positive and negative pressures to the chest wall on lung aeration in near-term rabbit kittens at risk of developing respiratory distress. Method...
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Importance Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) has been described to typically occur during the early hours of life (HOL); however, the exact time of onset is still unknown. Objective To investigate the temporal distribution of IVH reported in very preterm neonates. Data Sources PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched on...
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Background Physiological-based cord clamping (PBCC) in preterm infants is beneficial for cardiovascular transition at birth and may optimize placental transfusion. Whether PBCC can improve clinical outcomes is unknown. The aim of the Aeration, Breathing, Clamping (ABC3) trial was to test whether PBCC results in improved intact survival in very pret...
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Introduction Transposition of the great arteries (TGA), especially with intact ventricular septum (TGA-IVS), presents unique challenges during fetal-to-neonatal transition, which can contribute to developing persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). Case Presentation A male newborn with TGA-IVS, delivered via caesarean section, pres...
Article
Introduction: This study aimed to describe the prevalence and risk factors for respiratory complications in monochorionic twins with twin anaemia polycythaemia sequence (TAPS). Methods: All neonates diagnosed with postnatal TAPS at our center between 2002 and 2023 were included in this retrospective study. The primary outcome was the prevalence...
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Antenatal inflammation in the form of chorioamnionitis (fetal membranes; HCA) and funisitis (umbilical vessels; FUN) is a major risk factor for preterm birth. Exposure to HCA + FUN affects infants by releasing mediators that may suppress respiratory drive. While the association between clinical chorioamnionitis (CCA) and (depressed) spontaneous bre...
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Objective Intravenous epinephrine administration is preferred during neonatal resuscitation, but may not always be rapidly administered due to lack of equipment or trained staff. We aimed to compare the time to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and post-ROSC haemodynamics between intravenous, endotracheal (ET) and intranasal (IN) epinephrine...
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Aim Cardiorespiratory events in preterm infants pose a major challenge in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as they require a prompt response. We aimed to describe caregivers' responses to these events. Methods We performed a prospective observational study in 19 preterm infants (28 ± 2 weeks) on non‐invasive respiratory support using video recordi...
Article
Background: The timing of cord clamping has become a focal point for neonatal caregivers due to the promising outcomes associated with delayed cord clamping, which is a simple and cost-effective method to enhance the survival and well-being of preterm infants. While initially the rationale behind delaying clamping was to facilitate increased place...
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Background Early-onset Group B Streptococcus (EOGBS) infection leads to substantial morbidity and mortality in newborn infants. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) prevents EOGBS infection, but IAP strategies vary. The approach to the provision of IAP can be risk-based, universal or a combination of the two strategies. Previous systematic revi...
Article
Background: As very preterm infants have surfactant-deficient and highly incompliant lungs, slowing lung deflation during expiration might help preserve functional residual capacity(FRC) during lung aeration. In this study, we investigated the effect of expiratory resistance(Re) on lung aeration during positive pressure ventilation in preterm rabb...
Preprint
Full-text available
Background Early-onset Group B Streptococcus (EOGBS) leads to substantial morbidity and mortality in newborn infants. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) prevents EOGBS infection, but IAP strategies vary. The approach to the provision of IAP can be risk-based, universal or a combination of the two strategies. Previous systematic reviews report...
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Video review (VR) of procedures in the medical environment can be used to drive quality improvement. However, first it has to be implemented in a safe and effective way. Our primary objective was to (re)define a guideline for implementing interprofessional VR in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Our secondary objective was to determine the rat...
Article
Background Planned caesarean section (CS) is a risk factor for neonatal respiratory distress caused by a greater volume of airway liquid in the absence of uterine contractions. Performing a newly conceptualised knee-to-chest flexion (KCF) manoeuvre at birth, mimicking uterine contraction-induced flexion may aid in expelling excess lung liquid. Obj...
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Introduction Recent evidence indicates that respiratory distress (RD) in near-term infants is caused by elevated airway liquid (EL) volume at the beginning of air-breathing after birth. While the adverse effects EL volumes on newborn lung function are known, the effects on respiratory control and breathing patterns shortly after birth (<4 h) are un...
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Most very premature infants breathe at birth but require respiratory support in order to stimulate and support their breathing. A significant proportion of premature infants are affected by chorioamnionitis, defined as an umbrella term for antenatal inflammation of the foetal membranes and umbilical vessels. Chorioamnionitis produces inflammatory m...
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Background Infants born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are at high risk of respiratory insufficiency and pulmonary hypertension. Routine practice includes immediate clamping of the umbilical cord and endotracheal intubation. Experimental animal studies suggest that clamping the umbilical cord guided by physiological changes and after th...
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High concentrations of oxygen are often needed to optimize oxygenation in infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), but this can also increase the risk of hyperoxemia. We determined the occurrence of hyperoxemia in infants treated for PPHN. Medical records of infants ≥ 34 + 0 weeks gestational age (GA) who received inhaled nitric oxide...
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Background Mortality, cerebral injury, and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are common complications of very preterm birth. An important risk factor for these complications is hemodynamic instability. Pre-clinical studies suggest that the timing of umbilical cord clamping affects hemodynamic stability during transition. Standard care is time-based c...
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To improve care for extremely premature infants, the development of an extrauterine environment for newborn development is being researched, known as Artificial Placenta and Artificial Womb (APAW) technology. APAW facilitates extended development in a liquid-filled incubator with oxygen and nutrient supply through an oxygenator connected to the umb...
Article
Background: Manual tactile stimulation is used to counteract apnea in preterm infants, but it is unknown when this intervention should be applied. We compared an anticipatory to a reactive approach using vibrotactile stimulation to prevent hypoxia induced apneas. Methods: Preterm rabbit kittens were prematurely delivered and randomized to either...
Article
Airway liquid is cleared into lung tissue after birth, which becomes oedematous and forces the chest wall to expand to accommodate both the cleared liquid and incoming air. This study investigated how changing chest wall mechanics affects respiratory function after birth in near-term lambs with different airway liquid volumes. Surgically-instrument...
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Objective To examine the providers’ perceptions and experiences on implementation of video review (VR) of procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Design Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with neonatal care providers about their experiences with VR. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analyse...
Article
Objective To compare the effect of peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) target range (TR) (either 91%–95% and 92%–96%) on the frequency and duration of hypoxic and hyperoxic episodes while on automated oxygen control using the OxyGenie controller. Design Randomised cross-over study. Setting Tertiary-level neonatal unit in the Netherlands. Patie...
Article
Background Balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) is an emergent and essential cardiac intervention to enhance intercirculatory mixing at atrial level in deoxygenated patients diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and restrictive foramen ovale. The recent recall of several BAS catheters and the changes in the European legal framework fo...
Article
Background: Infants with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (DH) have underdeveloped lungs and require mechanical ventilation after birth, but the optimal approach is unknown. We hypothesised that sustained inflation (SI) increases lung aeration in newborn kittens with a DH. Methods: In pregnant New Zealand white rabbits, a left-sided DH was indu...
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Background Apnoea of prematurity (AOP) is one of the most common diagnoses among preterm infants. AOP often leads to hypoxemia and bradycardia which are associated with an increased risk of death or disability. In addition to caffeine therapy and non-invasive respiratory support, doxapram might be used to reduce hypoxemic episodes and the need for...
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Introduction The transition to newborn life has typically been studied in intubated and mechanically ventilated newborn lambs delivered via caesarean section (CS) under general anaesthesia. As a result, little is known of the spontaneous breathing patterns in lambs at birth, particularly those at risk of developing respiratory distress (RD). We hav...
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Introduction: Recent reports have raised concerns of cardiorespiratory deterioration in some infants receiving respiratory support at birth. We aimed to independently determine whether respiratory support with a facemask is associated with a decrease in heart rate (HR) in some late-preterm and term infants. Methods: Secondary analysis of data fr...
Article
Background: The importance of neonatal resuscitator resistance is currently unknown. In this study we investigated peak flows and pressure stability resulting from differences in imposed resistance during positive pressure ventilation(PPV) and simulated spontaneous breathing (SSB) between the r-PAP, low-resistance resuscitator, and Neopuff™, high-...
Preprint
Full-text available
Background Apnoea of prematurity (AOP) is one of the most common diagnoses among preterm infants. AOP often leads to hypoxemia and bradycardia which are associated with an increased risk of death or disability. In addition to caffeine therapy and non-invasive respiratory support, doxapram might be used to reduce hypoxemic episodes and the need for...
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Introduction: Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are commonly intubated immediately after birth. Consensus on whether to provide sedation prior to intubation in the delivery room is lacking, although avoidance of stress is especially important in this population with high risk of pulmonary hypertension. We aimed at obtaining an ove...
Article
Objective: Application of a face mask may provoke the trigeminocardiac reflex, leading to apnoea and bradycardia. This study investigates whether re-application of a face mask in preterm infants at birth alters the risk of apnoea compared with the initial application, and identify factors that influence this risk. Methods: Resuscitation videos a...
Article
Virginia Apgar designed the apgar score during a breakfast with colleagues in response to a discussion about the need to evaluate newborns at birth. She scribbled down the score on a piece of paper and the score has been indispensable ever since, not just for reflecting the clinical condition and to indicate whether intervention was needed, but als...
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Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) care pathways evolve slowly as new evidence emerges. We report the sixth version of “European Guidelines for the Management of RDS” by a panel of experienced European neonatologists and an expert perinatal obstetrician based on available literature up to end of 2022. Optimising outcome for babies with RDS include...
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Unlabelled: Faster resolution of hypoxaemic or hyperoxaemic events in preterm infants may reduce long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. Automatic titration of inspiratory oxygen increases time within the oxygen saturation target range and may provide a more prompt response to hypoxic and hyperoxic events. We assessed routinely performed follow-u...
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Background Hand hygiene (HH) is the most critical measure in the prevention of nosocomial infections in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Improving and sustaining adequate HH compliance rates, however, remains a significant challenge. Using a behavioral change framework and nudge theory, we developed a design-based concept aimed at facilitat...
Article
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a major cause of severe lung hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension in the newborn. While the pulmonary hypertension is thought to result from abnormal vascular development and arterial vasoreactivity, the anatomical changes in vascular development are unclear. We have examined the 3D structure of the pulmona...
Article
Objective To compare the effect of two different automated oxygen control devices on time preterm infants spent in different oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) ranges during their entire stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Design Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data. Setting Tertiary level neonatal unit in the Netherlan...
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Transitional circulation is normally transient after birth but can vary markedly between infants. It is actually in a state of transition between fetal (in utero) and neonatal (postnatal) circulation. In the absence of definitive clinical trials, information from applied physiological studies can be used to facilitate clinical decision making in th...
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Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the oxygen saturation index (OSI) as an early predictor of clinical deterioration in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted in consecutive infants with isolated CDH with continuous OSI measurements collected in the first...
Article
Rationale Antenatal inflammation, usually associated with chorioamnionitis, is a major cause of premature birth. As inflammation could depress respiratory drive, we have examined the effect of clinical chorioamnionitis (CCA) on spontaneous breathing in premature infants at birth. Methods Infants with CCA born <30 weeks’ gestation were matched with...
Article
Aim: to verify the added value of Respiratory Function Monitor (RFM) to assess ventilation and the heart rate changes during stabilization of preterm infants. Methods: preterm infants < 32 weeks' gestation, bradycardic at birth and in need for positive pressure ventilation (PPV) were included. The first 15 minutes of stabilization was monitored...
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Background International guidelines recommend delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC) up to 1 min in preterm infants, unless the condition of the infant requires immediate resuscitation. However, clamping the cord prior to lung aeration may severely limit circulatory adaptation resulting in a reduction in cardiac output and hypoxia. Delaying cord cla...
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Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the resuscitators' opinions of the usefulness and clinical value of using a respiratory function monitor (RFM) when resuscitating extremely preterm infants with positive pressure ventilation. Methods: The link to an online survey was sent to 106 resuscitators from six countries who were involved in a mult...
Article
Despite increased amounts of research, most of the evidence that supports treatment of newborns in the delivery room is rated ‘low’ rather than ‘high’ quality. This assessment stems largely from a lack of evidence from clinical trials. When trials have been performed, the evidence has often been downgraded due to enrolment of small or poorly repres...
Preprint
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Purpose: The environment of the NICU can be dynamic and emergent. Video-reflection of neonatal interventions gives an objective view on clinical practice. Although video-reflection is increasingly used, it is focused mostly on technical aspects. The focus of video-reflection can also be shifted towards teamwork and context. However, no studies have...
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As the complexity of emergency care increases, current research methods to improve care are often unable to capture all aspects of everyday clinical practice. Video recordings can visualize clinical care in an objective way. They can be used as a tool to assess care and to reflect on care with the caregivers themselves. Although the use of video re...
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Background Infants with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and expected mild pulmonary hypoplasia have an estimated survival rate of 90%. Current guidelines for delivery room management do not consider the individual patient's disease severity, but an individualized approach with spontaneous breathing instead of routine mechanical ventilation...
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Respiratory distress in the first few hours of life is a growing disease burden in otherwise healthy babies born at term (>37 weeks gestation). Babies born by cesarean section without labor (i.e., elective cesarean section) are at greater risk of developing respiratory distress due to elevated airway liquid volumes at birth. These babies are common...
Article
Objective: To compare short-term clinical outcome after using two different automated oxygen controllers (OxyGenie and CLiO2). Design: Propensity score-matched retrospective observational study. Setting: Tertiary-level neonatal unit in the Netherlands. Patients: Preterm infants (OxyGenie n=121, CLiO2 n=121) born between 24+0-29+6 weeks of ge...
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Background Large amounts of data are collected in neonatal intensive care units, which could be used for research. It is unclear whether these data, usually sampled at a lower frequency, are sufficient for retrospective studies. We investigated what to expect when using one-per-minute data for descriptive statistics. Methods One-per-second inspira...
Article
Objective: Observational studies in preterm infants suggest that systemic hydrocortisone improves pulmonary condition but may also lead to systemic adverse effects. We report the short-term pulmonary and systemic effects of hydrocortisone initiated in the second week. Design: Randomised placebo-controlled trial. Setting: Dutch and Belgian neon...
Article
Objective In response to the increasing focus on family-centred care, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environments have gradually shifted towards the single-room design. However, the assumed benefits of this emerging design remain a subject of debate. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of single-room versus open-bay care on the risk of neonata...
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Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension is a major determinant of postnatal survival in infants with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The current care during the perinatal stabilisation period in these infants might contribute to the development of pulmonary hypertension after birth-in particular umbilical cord clamping before lung aeration....
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Objective The resistance created by the PEEP-valve of a T-piece resuscitator is bias gas flow dependent and might affect breathing in preterm infants. In this study we investigated the effect of a higher bias gas flow on the imposed inspiratory and expiratory T-piece resistance and expiratory breaking manoeuvres (EBM) in preterm infants during spon...
Article
Respiratory distress is relatively common in infants born at or near-term, particularly in infants delivered following elective cesarean section. The pathophysiology underlying respiratory distress at term has largely been explained by a failure to clear airway liquid, but recent physiological evidence has indicated that it results from elevated ai...
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Very preterm infants are a unique and highly vulnerable group of patients that have a narrow physiological margin within which interventions are safe and effective. The increased understanding of the foetal to neonatal transition marks the intricacy of the rapid and major physiological changes that take place, making delivery room stabilisation and...
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Background: Obtaining ethically valid consent to participate in delivery room (DR) studies from parents facing an imminent premature birth can be challenging. This study aims to provide insight into parental experiences with and perceptions of consent for DR studies. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with parents of very and extr...
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Liquid-based perinatal life support (PLS) technology will probably be applied in a first-in-human study within the next decade. Research and development of PLS technology should not only address technical issues, but also consider socio-ethical and legal aspects, its application area, and the corresponding design implications. This paper represents...
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Blood oxygen in the fetus is substantially lower than in the newborn infant. In the minutes after birth, arterial oxygen saturation rises from around 50–60% to 90–95%. Initial respiratory efforts generate negative trans-thoracic pressures that drive liquid from the airways into the lung interstitium facilitating lung aeration, blood oxygenation, an...
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Aim: Heart rate (HR) is the most important parameter to evaluate newborns' clinical condition and to guide intervention during resuscitation at birth. The present study aims to compare the accuracy of NeoBeat dry-electrode ECG for HR measurement with conventional ECG and pulse oximetry (PO). Methods: Newborns with a gestational age ≥ 32 weeks an...
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We report a case of a monochorionic diamniotic twin with an uncomplicated pregnancy, but with an unexpected large intertwin hemoglobin (Hb) difference at birth. Twin 1 was delivered vaginally and had an uneventful neonatal course. The umbilical cord of Twin 1 was clamped approximately 5 min after birth. After the birth of Twin 1, Twin 2 developed s...
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Background: Preterm infants are commonly supported with 5–8 cmH 2 O CPAP. However, animal studies demonstrate that high initial CPAP levels (12–15 cmH 2 O) which are then reduced (termed physiological based (PB)-CPAP), improve lung aeration without adversely affecting cardiovascular function. We investigated the feasibility of PB-CPAP and the effec...
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Assessment of an infant’s condition in the delivery room represents a prerequisite to adequately initiate medical support. In her seminal paper, Virginia Apgar described five parameters to be used for such an assessment. However, since that time maternal and neonatal care has changed; interventions were improved and infants are even more premature....
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Apnoea, a pause in respiration, is ubiquitous in preterm infants and are often associated with physiological instability, which may lead to longer-term adverse neurodevelopmental consequences. Despite current therapies aimed at reducing the apnoea burden, preterm infants continue to exhibit apnoeic events throughout their hospital admission. Bedsid...
Article
For the preterm infant with respiratory insufficiency requiring supplemental oxygen, tight control of oxygen saturation (SpO2) is advocated, but difficult to achieve in practice. Automated control of oxygen delivery has emerged as a potential solution, with six control algorithms currently embedded in commercially-available respiratory support devi...
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Objective The aim of this study was to determine the experience with, and the feasibility of, point-of-view video recordings using eye-tracking glasses for training and reviewing neonatal interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design Observational prospective single-centre study. Setting Neonatal intensive care unit at the Leiden University...