The Incubator's Journal Club

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a large cohort study from the Journal of Perinatology on the prevalence and safety of diazoxide in the NICU. With neonatal hypoglycemia seemingly on the rise, they discuss off-label use for transient hyperinsulinism and evaluate real-world data from over 340 Pediatrix units. They dive into the rates of concurrent diuretic therapy, respiratory sup...

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review the highly anticipated TREOCAPA trial results exploring the prophylactic use of acetaminophen for PDA closure in extremely preterm infants. They break down the study's tailored dosing regimens, safety outcomes like cholestasis, and discuss why achieving a higher rate of early ductal closure didn't necessarily translate to improved survi...

Ben and Daphna conclude Journal Club with a quality improvement study from Pediatrics titled "Improving Health-Related Social Needs Screening and Support Across a Pediatric Health Care System". The hosts discuss the successful implementation of universal social determinants of health (SDOH) screening across nine pediatric divisions at Levine Children's. They highlight the impressive...

Ben and Daphna review a randomized controlled trial published in The Journal of Pediatrics by Dr. Ariel Salas and colleagues at UAB. The study investigates whether early high-dose vitamin D supplementation (800 IU/day starting day 1) in extremely preterm infants reduces the incidence of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) compared to standard care (starting day 14). The hosts discuss the physiologic...

In this episode of Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review a retrospective cohort study from Pediatrics examining antibiotic duration for uncomplicated Gram-negative bloodstream infections in the NICU. The study, a collaboration between Nationwide Children’s Hospital and UT Health San Antonio, compares outcomes between short course (≤8 days) and long course (≥9 days) therapy. The hosts discuss the sta...

In this episode of Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review a thought-provoking study from the Archives of Disease in Childhood titled "Chest Compression in Newborn Infants: What Anatomical Structures Are We Compressing?". The hosts explore the anatomical findings suggesting that current neonatal CPR guidelines—recommending compressions over the lower third of the sternum—may actually be targ...

In this segment, Ben and Daphna review a retrospective study from the Hospital for Sick Children comparing outcomes of therapeutic hypothermia in late preterm (34-35 weeks) versus early term (36-37 weeks) infants. They discuss the significantly higher rates of mortality, hemodynamic instability, and hypoglycemia found in the younger cohort, known as "Group 1". The hosts explore the impli...

In this episode of Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review a prospective cohort study from the Journal of Perinatology that examines the care of neonates following in-utero growth restriction. The hosts unpack the critical distinction between Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR) and Small for Gestational Age (SGA), highlighting how the "decay of information" in the NICU can lead clinicians to over...

In this episode of Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review a non-inferiority trial from the European Journal of Pediatrics exploring surfactant administration thresholds in preterm neonates. The study, conducted in India, compares a 30% versus 40% FiO2 threshold for babies 26-32 weeks gestational age. The hosts break down the counterintuitive findings regarding respiratory support duration in younger...

In this episode of The Incubator, Ben and Daphna return from the Delphi Conference to dive back into Journal Club. They review the highly anticipated TORPIDO 30/60 trial published in JAMA, comparing initial oxygen concentrations of 30% versus 60% for preterm resuscitation. The hosts discuss the primary outcomes of survival and brain injury, while highlighting intriguing secondary findings regardin...

In this episode of Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review a retrospective cohort study from the Journal of Perinatology examining the association between NICU capacity strain and neonatal outcomes. We discuss how high census and acuity on admission day correlate with increased mortality and morbidity when adjusted for hospital and patient factors. Join us as we explore why being "slammed with ad...

In this episode of The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna review a pivotal population-based study from Norway examining a new approach to Early-Onset Sepsis (EOS). The hosts discuss whether serial physical examinations can safely replace routine antibiotic prophylaxis in at-risk term and late-preterm infants. With antibiotic exposure often far exceeding sepsis incidence, this study offers compellin...

In this episode of Journal Club, Ben and Daphna dive into a multicenter retrospective study from the European Journal of Pediatrics questioning the necessity of universal empiric antibiotics in neonates undergoing therapeutic hypothermia for HIE. Comparing Italian and Belgian cohorts, the team discusses the reality of a 111 Number Needed to Treat (NNT) for a single case of culture-proven sepsis. F...

In this Journal Club episode of the Incubator Podcast, Ben Courchia and Daphna Yasova-Barbeau review a study from the Journal of Perinatology evaluating NT-proBNP as a diagnostic tool for chronic pulmonary hypertension in extremely preterm infants. The discussion walks through the clinical burden of pulmonary hypertension in babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the limitations of echocardiograp...

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a large national cohort study examining the association between antenatal corticosteroid exposure and survival in extremely preterm infants born between 21 and 24 weeks’ gestation. They discuss biologic plausibility, practice variation, and the challenges of interpreting retrospective data, while focusing on how these findings may inform counseli...

Ben and Daphna review the ICAF randomized clinical trial evaluating extended caffeine therapy in preterm infants and its impact on intermittent hypoxia through 41 weeks postmenstrual age. They discuss the study design, oximetry outcomes across multiple saturation thresholds, inflammatory biomarkers including TNF-α, and clinically relevant safety signals such as oxygen restart rates, length of stay...

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a salient study from JAMA Network Open examining outcomes of infants born at 21 weeks’ gestation at the University of Iowa. They walk through resuscitation practices, early physiologic challenges, survival trends, and short-term developmental outcomes, while placing the data in the broader context of shifting limits of viability. The discussion h...

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a major randomized clinical trial published in JAMA comparing expectant management with active pharmacologic treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants. They walk through the trial design, inclusion criteria, and outcomes, highlighting the unexpected survival difference favoring expectant management despite similar rates of bronchop...

Identifying optimal positive end-expiratory pressure with electrical impedance tomography guidance in severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Shui JE, LaVita CJ, Alcala GC, Nichols JH, Jassar RK, Turcu RM, Lerou PH, Cereda MF, Carroll RW, Ribeiro De Santis Santiago R, Berra L.J Perinatol. 2025 Sep 30. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02433-8. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41028823 Support the show As always, fee...

Risk factors associated with the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants on an exclusive human milk diet: a single-center case-control study. Ailumerab H, Miller JL, DeShea L, Beasley WH, Chaaban H, Bergner EM.J Perinatol. 2025 Aug 30. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02401-2. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40885806 Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or...

What’s new in neonatal innovation and research this week? Join Ben and Daphna for a lively Journal Club episode of The Incubator Podcast, recorded after a long NICU day but packed with energy and insight. They begin with an update on the newly released NRP 9th Edition, preview their excitement for the upcoming Delphi Neonatal Innovation Conference, and then dive into five remarkable studies shapin...

Full exclusively enteral fluids from day 1 versus gradual feeding in preterm infants (FEED1): a open-label, parallel-group, multicentre, randomised, superiority trial. Ojha S, Mitchell EJ, Johnson MJ, Gale C, McGuire W, Oddie S, Hall SS, Meakin G, Anderson J, Partlet C, Su Y, Johnson S, Walker KF, Ogollah R, Mistry H, Naghdi S, Montgomery A, Dorling J; FEED1 collaborative. Lancet Child Adolesc Hea...

Early body composition outcomes of infants born very preterm and receiving high volume, human milk feedings (≥170 ml/kg/day) before postnatal day 14. Gunawan E, Molleti M, Salas AA.J Perinatol. 2025 Oct 31. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02469-w. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41174086 No abstract available. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email:...

Applied forces during neonatal intubation with direct and video laryngoscopy at different bed elevations: a randomized crossover manikin study. Cavallin F, Pasquali G, Maglio S, Villani PE, Menciassi A, Tognarelli S, Trevisanuto D.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Nov 5;184(12):732. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06524-8.PMID: 41191125 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial. Support the show As always, feel free to send us...

Treatment of Hypotension of Prematurity: a randomised trial. Alderliesten T, Arasteh E, van Alphen A, Groenendaal F, Dudink J, Benders MJ, van Bel F, Lemmers P. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Dec 15;111(1):F60-F66. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-328253.PMID: 40413017 Clinical Trial. Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodca...