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 targeting the right ventricle and great veins rather than the left ventricle. They discuss the implications for the "cardiac pump" vs. "thoracic pump" theories and what this means for the future of resuscitation guidelines.

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Chest compression in newborn infants: what anatomical structures are we compressing? Chua CT, O'Reilly M, Surak A, Schmölzer GM.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2026 Jan 16:fetalneonatal-2025-329582. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2025-329582. Online ahead of print.PMID: 41545184

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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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 implications of using MRI scoring systems like the Weeke score for preterm brains and debate the ethical challenges of conducting future randomized trials as clinical practice shifts away from cooling younger babies based on emerging retrospective data.

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Whole-body hypothermia in late preterm and early term infants: a retrospective analysis from a neurocritical care unit. Martinez A, Cikman G, Al Kalaf H, Wilson D, Banh B, Abdelmageed W, Beamonte Arango I, Christensen R, Branson HM, Cizmeci MN.Pediatr Res. 2026 Jan 7. doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-04701-x. Online ahead of print.PMID: 41501407

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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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 overlook early risk factors as babies grow. They discuss the study’s alarming findings regarding the six-fold increased risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) in SGA infants and the importance of maintaining a comprehensive medical history throughout a patient's stay.

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Care of neonates following in-utero growth restriction: A prospective cohort study exploring neonatal morbidity. Alda MG, Wood AG, MacDonald T, Charlton JK.J Perinatol. 2025 Sep;45(9):1219-1225. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02397-9. Epub 2025 Aug 21.PMID: 40841433 Free PMC article.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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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 subgroups and discuss the broader implications of using rigid FiO2 heuristics versus individualized patient assessment. They also debate how resource availability influences clinical protocols and the potential benefits of "LISA" (Less Invasive Surfactant Administration) for avoiding intubation.

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Higher (40%) versus lower (30%) FiO2 threshold for surfactant administration in preterm neonates between 26 and 32 weeks of gestational age: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. Haq MI, Datta V, Bandyopadhyay T, Nangia S, Anand P, Murukesan VM.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Nov 25;184(12):793. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06628-1.PMID: 41288797 Clinical Trial.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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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 regarding chest compressions and epinephrine use in the delivery room. They also share exciting updates on the Vermont Oxford Network collaboration and a new family study from the GFCNI.

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Targeted Oxygen for Initial Resuscitation of Preterm Infants: The TORPIDO 30/60 Randomized Clinical Trial. Oei JL, Kirby A, Travadi J, Davis P, Wright I, Ghadge A, Yeung C, Cruz M, Keech A, Hague W, Lui K, Vento M, Gordon A, De Waal K, Chaudhari T, Hong TSL, Morris S, Kushnir A, Bonney D, Tracy M, Kumar K, Chhnia AS, Baral VR, Muniyappa P, Cheah FC, Sarnadgouda P, Rajadurai VS, Balakrishnan U, Oleti TP, Aldecoa-Bilbao V, Couce ML, Collados CT, Fernández RE, Moliner E, Ruiz Gonzalez MD, Singhal M, Agrawal G, Singh J, Pal S, Nayya S, Arora R, Amboiram P, Simes J, Tarnow-Mordi W; TORPIDO30/60 Collaborative Group.JAMA. 2025 Dec 10:e2523327. doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.23327. Online ahead of print.PMID: 41369162

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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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 admissions" is more than just a badge of honor—it’s a critical safety metric for our patients.

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The association of NICU capacity strain with neonatal mortality and morbidity. Salazar EG, Passarella M, Formanowski B, Rogowski J, Edwards EM, Halpern SD, Phibbs C, Lorch SA.J Perinatol. 2025 Dec;45(12):1801-1808. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02449-0. Epub 2025 Oct 20.PMID: 41116036 Free PMC article.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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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 compelling data for a "less is more" strategy. Tune in as Ben and Daphna explore the safety, efficacy, and bedside implications of substituting automatic treatment with structured clinical monitoring—and what this means for reducing unnecessary interventions in the NICU.

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Serial physical examination to reduce unnecessary antibiotic exposure in newborn infants: a population-based study. Vatne A, Eriksen BHH, Bergqvist F, Fagerli I, Guthe HJT, Iversen KV, Ud Din FS, van der Weijde J, Kvaløy JT, Rettedal S.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Nov 19:fetalneonatal-2025-329639. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2025-329639. Online ahead of print.PMID: 41260908

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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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. From the diagnostic challenges of overlapping clinical markers to the fascinating "asymptote" of postnatal leukocyte trends, we explore whether it's time to shift from routine to selective antibiotic use in our most complex patients.

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Antibiotic use in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy undergoing therapeutic hypothermia: time to rethink universal empirical treatment. De Rose DU, Piersigilli F, Auriti C, Campi F, Cortazzo V, Samaey A, Carkeek K, Martini L, Maddaloni C, Santisi A, Ronci S, Iacona G, Bersani I, Savarese I, Danhaive O, Cilio MR, Bernaschi P, Dotta A, Ronchetti MP.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Nov 22;184(12):781. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06652-1.PMID: 41275063

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!