Mohamed E Abdel-Latif

• FRACP, MRCPCH, AFRACMA, MPaeds, MPH, MScEpi, MD
• Professor at Australian National University

Background: Respiratory distress occurs in up to 7% of newborns, with respiratory support (RS) provided invasively via an endotracheal (ET) tube or non-invasively via a nasal interface. Invasive ventilation increases the risk of lung injury and chronic lung disease (CLD). Using non-invasive strategies, with or without minimally invasive surfactant...

Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation is a relatively rare disease in which failure of the median prosencephalic vein of Markowski to involute early in gestation leads to a grossly dilated deep cerebral vein with multiple arterial feeders, causing a large arteriovenous shunt which leads to high-output cardiac failure. We describe a case of a term n...

Background Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a neurosurgical procedure that reduces lower limb spasticity, performed in some children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Effective pain management after SDR is essential for early rehabilitation. This study aimed to describe the anaesthetic and early pain management, pain and adverse events in ch...

Background: Laryngeal mask airway surfactant administration (S-LMA) has the potential benefit of surfactant administration whilst avoiding endotracheal intubation and ventilation, ventilator-induced lung injury and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Objectives: To evaluate the benefits and harms of S-LMA either as prophylaxis or treatment (rescue...

The maternal, foetal, and neonatal health field has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, driven by cutting-edge research and innovative technologies [...]

Background: Very preterm children are at increased risk of language delays. Concerns have been raised about the utility of standardised English language tools to diagnose language delay in linguistically diverse children. Our study investigated the incidence of language delay at 4 years in linguistically diverse very preterm children. Methods: V...

Objective There is an expectation among the public and within the profession that the performance and outcome of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) should be comparable between centres with a similar setting. This study aims to benchmark and audit performance variation in a regional Australian network of eight NICUs. Design Cohort study using p...

Background: Most studies examining survival of neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are in high-income countries. We aimed to describe the management, survival to hospital discharge rate, and factors associated with survival of neonates with unilateral CDH in a middle-income country. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medica...

Dengue fever (DF) is endemic to Makkah and Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). However, until recently, the circulation of dengue virus (DENV) in Aedes mosquitoes in these areas was unknown. Serological surveillance of DENV in Ae aegypti is a powerful tool for early detection of dengue outbreaks and essential for developing effective control...

Objective To compare the difference in outcomes in a subset population of infants “eligible but not enrolled; ENE” vs those who were “eligible and enrolled, EE” in The Australian Placental Transfusion Study (APTS). Study design Population-based multicentre retrospective cohort study. Results A total of 535 (17.7%) infants were categorized as EE a...

Objective This study examines the associations of substance use disorders in pregnancy with a set of neonatal outcomes. Methods This is a quantitative retrospective study. Three linked datasets of a 10-year period (2007–2016) from New South Wales, Australia, were examined. Pregnant women were identified positive for substance use disorders when at...

Since 1994, dengue fever (DF) transmission rates have increased significantly in Saudi Arabia (KSA). Climatic, geographic, and demographic conditions make KSA especially suitable for DF’s spread. Still, there are insufficient strategies for controlling the Aedes species that transmit DF virus (DENV). To develop effective management strategies, it i...

Background: Non-invasive respiratory support is increasingly used for the management of respiratory dysfunction in preterm infants. This approach runs the risk of under-treating those with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), for whom surfactant administration is of paramount importance. Several techniques of minimally invasive surfactant therapy...

Aim To determine characteristics of death in children with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Methods A population‐based linkage study of children from birth to 13 years of age in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, born 1 July 2000 to 31 December 2011. Infants with an International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Problems, Austr...

Background: Very low birthweight or preterm infants are at increased risk of adverse outcomes including sepsis, necrotising enterocolitis, and death. We assessed whether supplementing the enteral diet of very low-birthweight infants with lactoferrin, an antimicrobial protein, reduces all-cause mortality or major morbidity. Methods: We did a multic...

Background Very low birthweight or preterm infants are at increased risk of adverse outcomes including sepsis, necrotising enterocolitis, and death. We assessed whether supplementing the enteral diet of very low-birthweight infants with lactoferrin, an antimicrobial protein, reduces all-cause mortality or major morbidity. Methods We did a multicen...

Background: Screening pregnant women for substance use is highly recommended in antenatal care settings. Although midwives provide routine screening for substance use and referral for treatment in pregnancy, little is known about the barriers and facilitators they experience. Aim: The study explored barriers and facilitators experienced by midwi...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to perform and report a systematic review of published research on patient safety attitudes of health staff employed in hospital emergency departments (EDs). Design/methodology/approach An electronic search was conducted of PsychINFO, ProQuest, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and CINAHL databases. The review included a...

Background: Photobiomodulation by 670 nm red light in animal models reduced severity of ROP and improved survival. This pilot randomised controlled trial aimed to provide data on 670 nm red light exposure for prevention of ROP and survival for a larger randomised trial. Methods: Neonates <30 weeks gestation or <1150 g at birth were randomised to...

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is typically a mild, self-limiting condition that can affect both preterm and term neonates, although it can be severe particularly when associated with co-morbidities. Pharmacological interventions with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), H2 receptor antagonist (H2RA), antacid, bismuth and sucralfate may hav...

This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of different grades of brain injuries on serial and term equivalent age (TEA)-cranial ultrasound imaging (cUS) as compared to TEA magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in extremely preterm infants < 28 weeks, and determine the predictive value of imaging abnormalities on neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 and 3...

Background: Skin injuries remain common in neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units. While predicting neonates at risk of skin injury may assist in reducing the incidence of injury, currently there is limited evidence on which tool may be superior. Methods: A prospective study was completed during November-December 2016 to evaluate the...

Introduction: Safety attitudes have been investigated in a number of countries across different hospital departments, however there are few studies including Emergency Departments. Aim: To investigate doctors’ and nurses’ attitudes towards patient safety in Emergency Department in an Australian hospital. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional res...

Introduction: Fever is a common paediatric presentation in both the hospital and community setting. However, there is a widespread perception that febrile children who present to community or hospital settings receive different investigations and follow-up, potentially impacting on patient outcomes. Aim: To compare paediatric presentations of fever...

Background: The attitudes of doctors and nurses toward patient safety representa significant contributing factor to hospital safety climates and medical error rates. Yet, there are very few studies of patient safety attitudes in Saudi hospitals and none conducted in hospital emergency departments. Aims: The current study aims to investigate and com...

Introduction: The attitudes of doctors and nurses toward patient safety is a significant factor in hospital safety climates and medical error rates. Yet, there are very few studies of patient safety attitudes in Saudi hospitals and none conducted in hospital emergency departments. Aims: The current study aims to investigate the discrepancy between...

Aim To determine the relationship between clinical practice and publication of an Australian consensus statement for management of extremely preterm infants published in 2006. Methods A population based study using linked data from New South Wales, Australia for births between 22+0 and 26+6 weeks of gestation between 2000 and 2011. Results There...

Background: Maternal alcohol or other drug use during pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes for mothers and their unborn child. The antenatal period presents an opportunity for health professionals to offer routine screening for alcohol or other drugs, to then provide intervention and referral for treatment and/or special...

Background: A hospital culture that promotes and insures patient safety is a critical aspect for the effective delivery of hospital services and patient care. Yet there are significant patient health and safety issues in hospitals worldwide. This study aims to investigate doctors' and nurses' attitudes toward patient safety in the emergency depart...

Background Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) constitute a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal populations. There has been an overwhelming increase in the use of evidence-based care practices, also known as bundles, in the reduction of these infections. In this report, rates of CLABSI and central line utilisati...

Objective To describe the risk of death and hospitalisation until adolescence of children after group B streptococcus (GBS) infection during infancy. Design Population-based cohort study. Setting New South Wales, Australia. Patients All registered live births from 2000 to 2011. Interventions Comparison of long-term outcomes in children with the...

Aim This study aimed to determine whether neonatal intensive care therapies increase the risk of carcinogenesis in childhood. Methods This study used population‐based data on 1,072,957 infants born in New South Wales, Australia, between 2000‐2011 and multivariate logistic regression to examine any associations between therapies used in the neonata...

(Abstracted from N Engl J Med 2017;377:2445–2455) Systemic reviews have shown that delaying the time of umbilical cord clamping can improve outcomes of preterm newborns. One such study found enhanced placental transfusion through delayed cord clamping, cord-palpation, or a combination of the 2 practices caused a lower infection and mortality rate w...

Objective To determine the hospital outcomes of liveborn infants at 23–31 weeks following prelabour preterm rupture of membranes (PPROM). Method A regional retrospective cohort study of 4454 infants of 23–31 weeks’ gestation admitted to a tertiary neonatal network between 2007 and 2011. Primary outcome was the composite chronic lung disease (CLD)...

Objectives To determine the influence of burn injuries on childhood performance in national standardised curriculum-based school tests. Design Birth and health records of 977 children who were hospitalised with a burn injury between 2000 and 2006 in the state of New South Wales, Australia, were linked to performance scores in the National Assessme...

Background: The preferred timing of umbilical-cord clamping in preterm infants is unclear. Methods: We randomly assigned fetuses from women who were expected to deliver before 30 weeks of gestation to either immediate clamping of the umbilical cord (≤10 seconds after delivery) or delayed clamping (≥60 seconds after delivery). The primary composi...

Background Studying centre-to-centre (CTC) variation in mortality rates is important because inferences about quality of care can be made permitting changes in practice to improve outcomes. However, comparisons between hospitals can be misleading unless there is adjustment for population characteristics and severity of illness. Objective We sought...

Background There is controversy among the literature for electing caesarean section (CS) delivery for infants with gastroschisis in an attempt to reduce mortality and morbidity. Objective This meta-analysis investigates whether there is enough evidence to support CS delivery over vaginal delivery. Data sources We conducted our search in April 201...

Introduction: National antibiotic stewardship programs aim to mitigate rising antimicrobial resistance and associated healthcare costs by promoting safe and appropriate antibiotic prescribing. Aim: This study aimed to analyse patient and clinician demographic factors that may influence antibiotic prescribing for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (...

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To determine effects of non-invasive high-frequency ventilation compared with other forms of respiratory support in newborn infants with respiratory distress in terms of need for intubation or reintubation and morbidity and mortality in term and preterm newborn...

Background The proportion of babies born by caesarean section in Australia has almost doubled over the last 25 years. Factors known to contribute to caesarean such as higher maternal age, mothers being overweight or obese, or having had a previous caesarean do not completely account for the increased rate and it is clear that other influences exist...

Background: Skin injuries are a common occurrence in neonatal units. Currently there are few tools that meet the specific needs of the neonatal population. To assist nurses in identifying neonates at risk and improve neonatal skin care a working group developed a neonatal skin risk assessment and management tool for their unit. Setting: University...

Aim: To assess whether maternal hypertensive disorders in pregnancies result in higher respiratory requirements, risk of chronic lung disease (CLD) and poorer neurodevelopmental outcome in <29-week premature neonates. Methods: This is a multicentre, retrospective cohort study, within a geographically defined area in Australia, served by a networ...

Background and objectives: Little is known of the long-term, including school, outcomes of children diagnosed with Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) (International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Problems [10th Edition], Australian Modification, P96.1). Methods: Linked analysis of health and curriculum-based test data for all...

Conclusion: NA appears to be tolerated safely by preterm infants with no major side effects. However, effectiveness needs to be studies further in structured trials. What is Known: • Noradrenaline is beneficial in the treatment of term newborns and infants with cardiovascular compromise. • Noradrenaline is known for its potent vasoconstrictive eff...

Infants with abdominal wall defects (AWD) are at risk of poor outcomes including prolonged hospitalization, infections and mortality. Our objective was to describe and compare the outcomes of infants admitted with gastroschisis and omphalocele over 18 years. Population-based study of clinical data and outcomes of live-born infants with AWD admitte...

Aim: This population-based study determined the delivery room management and outcomes of extremely preterm infants born with Apgar scores of zero. Methods: We linked birth, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and death records for babies who were born between 22+0 to 27+6 weeks of gestation with a one-minute Apgar score of zero, in New South Wal...

Aim: Very premature infants consume healthcare resources following discharge from neonatal intensive care units (NICU). This study aimed to evaluate the burden of respiratory related rehospitalisation within the first 3 years post discharge in very premature infants in an Australian population. Methods: Rehospitalisation of a 4-year cohort of NI...

Objective: To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2-3 years in extremely premature outborn and inborn infants. Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study. Setting: Geographically defined area of New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) served by a network of 10 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Patient...

Background: This study analyses the incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in a large geographically defined population in Australia. Method: Database linkage analysis of all births between 2000 and 2011 in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The diagnosis of NAS was derived from hospital coding P96.1, 'Neonatal withdrawal symptoms from m...

Water immersion of labouring women during the first stage and second stage of labour significantly reduces analgesia requirements and increases women’s reported satisfaction with pushing, without adversely affecting labour duration, operative delivery rates, or foetal wellbeing. However, immersion during the third stage of labour is associated with...

Background and Objectives. Antacids are often prescribed to preterm infants due to misdiagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux. This suppresses gastric acidity, a major defence mechanism against infection. This study aims to determine if ranitidine and omeprazole use in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates, <1500 grams, is associated with increased...

Linked administrative population data were used to estimate the burden of childhood respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization in an Australian cohort aged <5 years. RSV-coded hospitalizations data were extracted for all children aged <5 years born in New South Wales (NSW), Australia between 2001 and 2010. Incidence was calculated as the tot...

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To investigate the effects of fresh versus non-fresh (older) red blood cell transfusions on infant morbidity and mortality.

Background and objectives: Concerns have been raised about associations between cesarean delivery and childhood obesity and asthma. However, published studies have not examined the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes or fully addressed confounding influences. We used data from the LSAC (Longitudinal Study of Australian Children) to explore the r...

INTRODUCTION The present study aimed to determine the impact of an extended infection control training programme, which was conducted for all interns posted to the Department of Paediatrics, on the incidence of paediatric intensive care unit (PICU)-acquired bloodstream infections (BSIs) in University Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. METHODS The dev...

Background and objectives: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) occurs after in utero exposure to opioids, but outcomes after the postnatal period are unclear. Our objectives were to characterize childhood hospitalization after NAS. Methods: Population-based linkage study of births, hospitalization, and death records of all children registered in...

This is a retrospective analysis of a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) where we concluded that CeasIng Cpap At standerD criteriA (CICADA) in premature babies (PBs) <30 weeks gestational age (GA) was the significantly better method of ceasing CPAP. To identify factors that may influence the number of attempts to cease CPAP, we reviewed...

Background: In New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in utero transfers to manage maternal or neonatal risks are highly challenging owing to geography and centralisation of tertiary perinatal care. Aims: The study aims to document the outcomes of high-risk obstetric transfers. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study...

In New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in utero transfers to manage maternal or neonatal risks are highly challenging owing to geography and centralisation of tertiary perinatal care. The study aims to document the outcomes of high-risk obstetric transfers. A prospective observational study was conducted from 2010 to 2011 document...

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To assess whether different pharmacological interventions (PPIs, H2RAs, antacids, sucralfate or bismuth salts) administered to preterm and term neonates for the prevention or treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding reduce morbidity and mortality compare...

Question: In preterm infants, is there randomized controlled trial evidence to support using glutamine supplementation to prevent morbidity and mortality? Clinical Answer: Endogenous glutamine biosynthesis may be insufficient for tissue needs especially in states of metabolic stress. Therefore, it has been suggested that glutamine supplementation...

BACKGROUND: Early surfactant reduces mortality and pulmonary complications in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. However, current surfactant administration strategies require endotracheal intubation with or without continued mechanical ventilation. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and chronic lung disease (CLD) are associated with mechan...

This is a reprint of a Cochrane protocol, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration and published in The Cochrane Library 2015, Issue 4 http://www.thecochranelibrary.com Surfactant therapy via brief tracheal catheterization in preterm infants with or at risk of respiratory distress syndrome (Protocol)

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: In non-intubated preterm infants with, or at risk of, RDS to compare surfactant administration via brief tracheal catheterization with: continuation of non-invasive respiratory support (CPAP) or high flow nasal cannulae (HFNC) without surfactant administratio...

Background: There are limited data to inform the choice between parental presence at clinical bedside rounds (PPCBR) and non-PPCBR in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods: We performed a single-centre, survey-based, crossed-over randomised trial involving parents of all infants who were admitted to NICU and anticipated to stay >11 days....

Objective: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative disorder of the retina affecting extremely preterm or low birth weight infants The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of 670 nm red light use in a neonatal intensive care unit. Study design: Neonates <30 weeks gestation and <1150 g were enrolled within 48...

AimThis study determined the influence of prematurity on the manifestation and treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).Methods This was a medical record review of Australian infants exposed to opiates in 2004 and 2007. Finnegan scores were obtained for 215/361(59%) preterm infants under 37 weeks’ gestation and 694/1,178 (59%) term infants.R...

OBJECTIVE: A substantial number of children exposed to gestational opioids have neurodevelopmental, behavioral and cognitive problems. Opioids are not neuroteratogens but whether they affect the developing brain in more subtle ways (for example, volume loss) is unclear. We aimed to determine the feasibility of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)...

Abstract Objective: To compare two treatment strategies in preterm infants with or at risk of respiratory distress syndrome: early surfactant administration (within one hour of birth) vs. late surfactant administration, in a geographically defined population. Outcome: The primary outcome was chronic lung disease (CLD) and mortality before/at 36 wee...

Objective To study the neurodevelopmental outcomes of multiple (twins, triplets, quads) compared with singleton extremely preterm infants <29 weeks gestation. Design Population-based retrospective cohort study. Setting A network of 10 neonatal intensive care units in a geographically defined area of New South Wales and the Australian Capital territ...

In our previous randomised controlled trial (RCT), we have shown in preterm babies (PBs) <30 weeks gestation that CeasIng Cpap At standarD criteriA (CICADA (method 1)) compared with cycling off continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) gradually (method 2) or cycling off CPAP gradually with low flow air/oxygen during periods off CPAP (method 3) re...

To review and summarise the literature reporting on cannabis use within western communities with specific reference to patterns of use, the pharmacology of its major psychoactive compounds, including placental and fetal transfer, and the impact of maternal cannabis use on pregnancy, the newborn infant and the developing child. Review of published a...

Not many large studies have reported the true impact of lower-grade intraventricular hemorrhages in preterm infants. We studied the neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants in relation to the severity of intraventricular hemorrhage. A regional cohort study of infants born at 23 to 28 weeks' gestation and admitted to a NICU between 1...

To compare mortality, short-term morbidity and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of <29 week premature infants with antenatal steroid exposure (none, incomplete and complete). Multicentre retrospective cohort study, within a geographically defined area in Australia served by a network of 10 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), of infants <29...

Aim: To determine the short-term outcomes of Australian buprenorphine-exposed mother/infant dyads. Methods: Retrospective record review of drug-exposed mothers and infants in Australia. Groups were based on drug exposure: buprenorphine (55, 3.8%), non-buprenorphine opiates (O, 686, 48.6%) and non-opiates (NO, 671, 47.5%). Results: More than 30...