Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Division of Neonatology, Careggi University Hospital of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Neonatal Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy.
Ital J Pediatr. 2019 Oct 22;45(1):131. doi: 10.1186/s13052-019-0721-z.
Neonatologist performed echocardiography (NPE) has increasingly been used to assess the hemodynamic status in neonates. Aim of this survey was to investigate the utilization of NPE in Italian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
We conducted an on-line survey from June to September 2017. A questionnaire was developed by the Italian neonatal cardiology study group and was sent to each Italian NICU.
The response rate was 77%. In 94% of Italian NICUs functional echocardiography was used by neonatologists, cardiologists or both (57, 15 and 28% respectively). All the respondents used NPE in neonates with patent ductus arteriosus and persistent pulmonary hypertension, 93% in neonates with hypotension or shock, 85% in neonates with perinatal asphyxia, 78% in suspicion of cardiac tamponade, and 73% for line positioning. In 30% of center, there was no NPE protocol. Structural echocardiography in stable and critically ill neonates was performed exclusively by neonatologists in 46 and 36% of center respectively.
NPE is widely used in Italian NICUs by neonatologists. Structural echocardiography is frequently performed by neonatologists. Institutional protocols for NPE are lacking. There is an urgent need of a formal training process and accreditation to standardize the use of NPE.
新生儿科医生进行超声心动图（NPE）检查越来越多地用于评估新生儿的血液动力学状态。本调查的目的是调查意大利新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）中 NPE 的使用情况。
我们于 2017 年 6 月至 9 月进行了在线调查。意大利新生儿心脏病学研究小组制定了一份问卷，并分发给每个意大利 NICU。
应答率为 77%。在 94%的意大利 NICU 中，新生儿科医生、心脏病专家或两者都在使用功能超声心动图（分别为 57%、15%和 28%）。所有的受访者都在患有动脉导管未闭和持续性肺动脉高压的新生儿中使用 NPE，93%在低血压或休克的新生儿中使用，85%在围产期窒息的新生儿中使用，78%在怀疑心脏压塞的新生儿中使用，73%在置管时使用。在 30%的中心，没有 NPE 方案。在稳定和危重症新生儿中进行结构性超声心动图检查，分别有 46%和 36%的中心完全由新生儿科医生进行。
NPE 广泛应用于意大利的 NICU，由新生儿科医生使用。结构性超声心动图通常由新生儿科医生进行。缺乏 NPE 的机构方案。迫切需要一个正式的培训过程和认证，以规范 NPE 的使用。
