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This week on The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna dig into four studies testing what simple, evidence-based care looks like at the bedside. They open with a Swedish national cohort of nearly 4,700 very preterm infants, where a three-strain probiotic was linked to a 72% lower risk of death or NEC and near elimination of surgical NEC. Daphna then presents a study of banana puree as a natural thickener for NICU dysphagia, with oral intake reaching full volume within a week. Ben reviews the AIROPLANE trial, comparing 21% and 30% initial oxygen in infants born at 32 to 35 weeks. Daphna closes with the new AAP UTI guideline, covering shorter antibiotic courses, early oral transition, and imaging before VCUG.
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Probiotics and Risk of Death, Necrotizing Enterocolitis, and Sepsis in Very Preterm Infants. Mitha A, Söderquist Kruth S, Sinervo E, Domellöf M, Brindefalk B, Abrahamsson T, Johansson S, Rakow A.JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Sep 1;9(9):e2635560. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.35560.PMID: 42776528 Free PMC article.
We're going bananas! The effectiveness and safety of banana puree as an intervention for improving oral feeding in a level IV NICU. Carr CB, Ricciardi SE, Bery S, Levin R, Wilson-Costello D, Yalcinkaya G, Ryan RM.J Perinatol. 2026 Sep;46(9):1635-1640. doi: 10.1038/s41372-026-02765-z. Epub 2026 Jul 7.PMID: 42414579 Free PMC article.
Oxygen vs Air at Birth for Moderate- to Late-Preterm Infants: The AIROPLANE Cluster Randomized Crossover Trial. Peart SR, Manley BJ, Cheong JLY, Oei JL, Grobler AC, Moore CL, Allen RL, Alda MG, Bell G, Bhola K, Carman K, de Waal K, Dombagahawaththage CAN, Fan WQ, Fang AYW, Goyadi PK, Houghton KA, Jain KF, John J, Joshi D, Kunjunju A, Marshall IR, Mills JF, Nichol J, Parkhurst K, Priyadarshi A, Roberts CT, Thomas N, Tickell DJ, Walsh T, Yates KM, Ziffer J, Davis PG, Owen LS; AIROPLANE Trial Investigators and the IMPACT Clinical Trials Network for Mothers’ and Babies’ Health.JAMA. 2026 Sep 9:e2614201. doi: 10.1001/jama.2026.14201. Online ahead of print.PMID: 42714881
Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Children From 8 Days to 5 Years of Age. Alverson BK, Hains DS, Downs SM, El Feghaly RE, Forster CS, Jain S, Johnston A, Mattoo TK, Nelson CP, Olakanpo O, Otero HJ, Peters CA, Poppinga NM, Saha D, Schroeder AR, Senerth E, Pilcher L, Flinn SK, Morgan RL, Mustafa RA.Pediatrics. 2026 Oct 1;158(4):e2026078565. doi: 10.1542/peds.2026-078565.PMID: 42803578
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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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